Destiny's Child Version 20
by andrewjameswilliams
Summary: Rewrite of Destiny's Child. A Federation starship encounters a spatial anomaly and is flug into the stargate univsere. Trouble insues. Chapter Fifteen added
1. Chapter One

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Destiny's Child

Author's Note: This is a general rewrite of the original version of Destiny's Child, I have come to the conclusion that it needs to be done before I can carry the story forward any further. Much of the story will remain as it was before though there will be slight changes and modifications here and there.

Timeline is the same the story starts one year after the return of Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant and four months after Star Trek: Nemesis. Stargate events take place from just at the end of the fifth season episode Between Two Fires.

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Chapter One

Captains log Stardate 57381.2.  
  
We have been dispatched to a remote part of the Alpha Quadrant to investigate reports of starships disappearing and reappearing in an area where long-range scans have shown unusual subspace variations. This is the first time that the Resolution _will enter an area of non-normal space. I look forward to seeing how ships systems perform._

Captain Darien Parker sat behind his ready room desk and finished his log entry as he did at the beginning and end of every duty shift. The chair he was sitting in squeaked slightly as he adjusted his position trying to get a bit more comfortable. Like everything else onboard the chair was brand new and he hadn't really had enough time to break it in. His cool grey eyes wandered around the ready room.

Even though the _Resolution_ had been in space for three months there was still more than a taste of freshness and newness in the room as there was throughout the whole of the generation two Sovereign-class ship. The walls were a soft silver grey as was the carpeted ready room floor. Standing out against the soft silvery-grey of the walls was something that seemed very out of place on a ship designed to fly amongst the stars. Partially built into the wall was a curved tank that ran almost floor to ceiling filled with crystal clear water. Inside the brightly coloured fish swam lazily amid the fronts of gene tailored aquarium plants and the gentle streams of bubbles produced by air pumps hidden at the base of the tank. Some of the fish in the tank were Terran but most were not of the six species in there four of them were from the colony world of Malora II - the world he called home. Wistfulness briefly came into his eyes as he looked at the tank and the lazily swimming fish. _It's been so long since I was last home,_ he thought thinking fondly of Malora II.

At thirty-one standard years of age he was unusually young to hold captain's rank. Let alone the commanding officer of a state of the art Sovereign-class starship like the _Resolution_. But he had earned his command during the fire and pain of the three year war with the Dominion during which he had been first officer on the Nebula-class cruiser _Challenger_ - his ingenuity and innate tactical skills had helped numerous times during the war and had saved the _Challenger_ and her crew and others from dying at the hands of the Jem'Hadar, Cardassians and Breen on numerous occasions. His skills and ability to command had not gone unnoticed by Starfleet Command and as a result he had been given the rare honour of command of a starship before he was forty. Few officers had ever been given that honour amongst them some of the most honoured names in Starfleet history names like James Kirk, Christopher Pike, Kathryn Janeway and Jonathan Archer.

After the war the _Challenger's_ commanding officer Captain Sorrell - who was a Vulcan - had recommended Darien for promotion to captain. That recommendation had finally been accepted and acted upon by Starfleet a year ago - on the very same day in fact that _Voyager_ returned triumphantly from the Delta Quadrant equipped with new technologies that astounded Starfleet and caused a political storm the likes of which the Federation Council had not seen since the Genesis Experiment of a hundred years ago.

When _Voyager_ returned the technologies that she had had been immediately whisked away by Starfleet Command, the Temporal Integrity Commission and the Federation Council and sealed under the tightest security. Captain Janeway - now Vice Admiral Janeway - hadn't put up with that for very long. Like many legends of the fleet she had a fire and determination about her and had immediately set out to unlock the technologies of _Voyager_ and make them available for use in the fleet. She'd quickly won over many of the top admirals at Starfleet Command including Fleet Admirals Owen Paris, Alynna Nechayev, T'Lara, Shren and William Ross, winning over the Federation Council and the Temporal Integrity Commission had been much harder. The debate had raged for nearly two months. The TIC and some members of the council had argued that the future technology namely the ablative armour generators and transphasic torpedoes 'given' to _Voyager_ by a future Admiral Janeway should be destroyed as a violation of the temporal prime directive. Others had been concerned that Starfleet equipping its ships with such weapons would make the Federation seem like a militaristic culture to outsiders. The anti-Voyager camp had almost won.

Then the Reman Incident as it was now called had happened. The Picard clone Shinzon and his super-warbird the _Scimitar_ had almost destroyed the flagship of the Federation which would have been really demoralising for a populace still picking itself up from the ravages of three years of all out interstellar war that had seen over a billion deaths. It was only through a mix of luck, Picards more seasoned tactical skills and the heroic sacrifice of one of Starfleet's finest officers that enabled the _Enterprise_ to triumph and destroy the _Scimitar_ and Shinzon. As it was the _Enterprise_ had been crippled and had had to be towed back to Federation space by the grateful Romulans.

The sheer frightening power of the _Scimitar_ and Admiral Janeway's testimony about all the dangerous aliens in the rest of the galaxy had finally silenced most of the objections in the council. In the end the president herself directly overrode the objections of the TIC with an executive order - which no one in the Federation could ignore and once issued an executive order couldn't be rescinded except by the specific president who issued it, future presidents couldn't rescind executive orders not without the complete backing of the council, Starfleet Command and the Federation Grand Jury. In the end it had been decided that many of the _Voyager_ technologies including her sensors, armour, weapons and stealth systems would be made standard issue on all fleet ships. And the first two ships to receive the massive upgrade were the _Enterprise,_ which was still in space dock being repaired after being hammered to within an inch of destruction, and the _Resolution_, which had been nearing completion at the time.

Ironically the newest Sovereign-class ship had never really been intended to be Darien's command. The Federation Council and half of Starfleet Command had wanted to give her to Captain William Riker of the _Titan_ but he'd refused point blank saying he was quiet happy with the _Titan_, that he and his crew had really moulded together and he didn't want to upset that by suddenly leaving to command a new ship. Admiral Janeway had jumped on the chance and pushed for Darien to be given command of the _Resolution_ and through her persistence he had been given the command and been utterly dumbstruck at the time since it was almost unprecedented for a newly minted captain to be given command of one of the finest and most powerful ships Starfleet had ever built.

As it was he'd had to wait a few months longer for the _Resolution _to be ready but finally three months ago she had slipped her moorings and pulled out of space dock. Since then Darien and his crew had been getting to know each other and get to know the _Resolution_ herself for it didn't matter what the ship builders and designers said no two starships were ever the same. Each one had its own unique quirks even though it could be identical to any other ship of its class in appearance. Now though the _Resolutions _trial period was over and she had been given her first assignment and the whole crew was looking forward to it - even Lieutenant Commander T'Lar the Vulcan chief engineer though being Vulcan she would naturally never admit it.

"Bridge to captain," came a cool familiar voice over the comm system. Darien tapped his combadge.

"Yes commander?"

"We're approaching the zone where the most reports have come in from."  
  
"Very well. Drop out of warp. I'll be right out." Darien stood up from behind the desk, stretching slightly to loosen up cramped muscles then he started walking towards the door, hearing the distant powerful thrum of the warp engines die away as he did so.  
  
Stepping out onto the bridge he walked over to the command chair and sat down.

"Status report," he ordered.

"We are holding position just outside the area where the most sightings have occurred," Commander Urlet responded from the first officer's station.

"On screen." The holographic main view screen came on showing an image of the space around the ship. The area they had come to investigate filled space ahead of them, appearing as a mixture of patches of normal space amid sparkling swirls of multicoloured light. It really was quiet beautiful.

"Fire up the astrometric sensors. Let's see what's going on out here."  
  
"Aye sir," the science officer responded eagerly from the science console. With cool efficiency the young male Trill activated the improved astrometric sensors – another gift from the _Voyager_ – and ran a thorough scan of the area. "First results are coming in now sir. Curious."  
  
"What is?" Darien asked rotating the command chair so he could look over at the Trill.  
  
"Sensors show that the structure of subspace in the zone is riddled with quantum fissures of some kind. It's almost as if something has been punching holes in the structure of subspace. I'm reading huge amounts of tachyon and tetryon radiation and moderate gravimetric tides. Our shields will easily be able to withstand them should we enter the zone."

"Let's not be to hasty," Darien responded. "Launch one of our multispatial probes first."  
  
"Aye sir," Lieutenant Commander Christopher Beech replied from the tactical/security station and a multispatial probe launched from one of the forward torpedo tubes.  
  
For a few moments there was silence as the probe reached the zone and disappeared inside.  
  
"Probe telemetry coming in," Lieutenant Rakan reported from the science station. "Humm the gravitational fluctuations are slightly stronger than our initial scans revealed. Still no threat to the ship. Tetryon readings are higher but are not sufficient to pose a threat. We're also picking up low-level amounts of gamma and theta radiation. It's safe for us to go in their captain but not for an extended period of time."

"How long could we stay in there?"

"If the radiation levels don't increase I estimate five hours before they begin to weaken our shields. We could buy more time by activating the ablative armour generators. That would give us twelve hours before the radiation would begin pose a threat to the ship."

"Mr Beech raise shields."  
  
"Aye, sir." The _Resolutions_ latest generation regenerative multispatial shields snapped into existence around the shipenclosing her in a multilayered field of protective energy. Automatically the ship went to yellow alert status. Ablative armour generators powered up but didn't automatically deploy as they would in the case of a red alert.  
  
"Ensign Mills take us into the zone. One quarter impulse."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
The _Resolution_ moved cautiously into the zone. Immediately she shuddered slightly as she encountered the gravitational distortions but the computer automatically adjusted the inertial dampeners to compensate. Glowing bands of radiation caressed the outer shield layer making the shields glow with a soft blue light as they effortlessly deflected the radiation away from the hull.

"Status," Darien demanded as the deck shivered slightly under his feet as a result of the gravimetric distortions making there presence felt despite the best efforts of the inertial dampeners.

"Shields are holding," Beech reported. _That's a relief_, Darien thought, _the last thing I want is my ship getting damaged on her first real assignment._ He turned his attention to the screen the space they were now moving through was spectacular with all its rainbow-coloured ribbons of radiation and gas and the rippling effect of the gravitational distortions.  
  
Abruptly the sensors bleeped.  
  
"Sir sensors show that the gravimetric and subspace distortions directly ahead are getting stronger," Rakan reported.  
  
"Source?"

"I believe a new quantum fissure is forming directly ahead."

"Let's not get too close then. Helm back us up a bit. Rakan focus sensors on the fissure as it opens."

"Aye sir," came the replies from both Ensign Mills and Lieutenant Rakan. The faint background noise of the powerful twin impulse engines that drove the ship in normal space faded away for a second and the ship coasted forward on inertia before the manoeuvring thrusters halted her, then the impulse engines started back up again and the great ship began moving backwards away from the forming fissure.

Ahead of the ship a section of space seemed to ripple more strongly than the surrounding space and started to seemingly fold in upon itself. The sensors registered massive quantum distortions in subspace that grew stronger with every passing moment. Suddenly the distortion zone tore open in a blaze of light, a subspace shockwave shot forth in all directions. The wave slammed into the _Resolution_ almost immediately and the ship shuddered violently with the impact. Darien gripped the armrests of his chair as his body was sucked sideways by the momentary loss of gravitational stability.

"Damage report," Commander Urlet ordered.

"Shields are holding no damage," Beech reported.

"Captain something's wrong," Ensign Mills reported in concern. "The thrust from the impulse engines is fluctuating the fissure's gravimetric field is starting to counter our reverse motion and pull us back towards it."

"Full impulse reverse," Darien ordered. Mill's fed in the commands and the ship started to accelerate to her maximum speed of .65 c away from the fissure then a strange whining began as the impulse engines strained until abruptly they died and the ship jerked forwards as the fissures gravimetric attraction suddenly had unfought attraction on the ship.

Darien urgently tapped his combadge.

"Bridge to engineering what's going on with the impulse drive?"

"The subspace distortion wave has somehow depolarised the impulse driver coil assembly captain," Lieutenant Commander T'Lar responded with the typical Vulcan calm. "The warp coils are having the same problem." Abruptly the _Resolution_ shuddered again with more violence this time.

"Report," Darien ordered clutching his chair arms again to avoid being pitched to the deck as a violent vibration began to be felt throughout the ship.

"The gravimetric field of the fissure is expanding exponentially," Rakan reported his hands flying over his station. "Sensors also report that we are beginning to be bombarded by high energy verteron, neutrino and tachyon particles. Our shields are starting to weaken."

"Red alert." Klaxons wailed throughout the ship. The main lights dimmed and red alert panels began to flash. A thudding sound ran through the ship as the ablative armour automatically deployed. Phaser banks charged up while in the torpedo bays a part of their large compliment of photon, quantum and transphasic torpedoes were automatically moved into the tube firing racks ready to be armed and fired at a seconds notice.

The vibration shaking the _Resolution _grew worse as another gravimetric wave slammed into the shields. The forward motion of the ship increased as the fissure began to reel her in like a fisherman would a captured fish.

"Bridge to engineering T'Lar we need those impulse drives," Darien said into the comm.  
  
"We are trying our best captain," T'Lar reported calmly. "The impulse coils are not responding to automatic systems. I have a team heading for the control junction now."  
  
"Keep at it bridge out. Ensign Mills how long until we impact the fissure?"  
  
"At our current speed twenty seven seconds." The ship rocked again. "Make that five seconds." Darien keyed a control for ship wide communication on his chair arm.  
  
"All hands brace for collision." A new klaxon wailed through the ship.  
  
"Three seconds… two… one," Ensign Mills called but her last words were lost in a tremendous roar and a sharp pitch hard to port that knocked everyone flying.

The _Resolutions_ forward hull impacted the fissure. Glowing tendrils of pure power raced along the entire six hundred and eighty five meter length of the ship tearing away at the powerful regenerative shielding protecting her. Primary shield generators began overloading under the strain as shield power began dropping exponentially; secondary generators automatically came on adding their power to the beleaguered primaries. But even they were not sufficient to boost the shields enough to withstand the arcs of power grasping at the ship like a hungry starfish. The shields collapsed and the power tendrils began tearing into the ablative armour. In moments the ship was enveloped in a corona of blinding light. Space around the ship warped and distorted seeming to shift from three dimensional to two dimensional to one, then the _Resolution_ disappeared into what appeared as a slit in the universe.


	2. Chapter Two

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Chapter Two

Captain Darien Parker groaned as he picked himself up off the deck. His left arm was throbbing from where he'd hit the deck. He guessed that it was probably broken. All around the bridge was light by the dim red haze of emergency power. Thick acrid smoke from three burning consoles filled the air and sparks spat periodically from shorting power relays. There was just enough light for him to see that the bulk of the bridge crew had survived.

"Damage report," he ordered moving over to the operations console where Ensign Q'rra lay motionless on the deck. Lieutenant Commander Beech picked himself up off the floor and staggered back to his station.  
  
"Shields are down. Ablative armour integrity down to twenty percent," he reported as Darien checked Ensign Q'rra – it took only one look at the odd angle of the Katarian's neck to know that she was dead. "We are venting plasma from both nacelles. Fires are being detected throughout the ship. Automatic fire suppression off line. Fire control crews are responding. Environmental control systems are out. Artificial gravity has failed on all decks below deck seventeen. Engineering is responding. Casualty reports are coming in from all over the ship. Sickbay responding." Darien tapped his combadge.

"Bridge to engineering T'Lar what's your status?" A female voice laden with emotion and a hint of pain answered him.

"Lieutenant Barrett here sir," came the voice of T'Lar's second. "Lieutenant Commander T'Lar is dead an EPS conduit ruptured right next to her she was killed instantly. We're in bad shape down here captain. We've had to shut down the warp core to avoid a breech. Impulse engines and thrusters are gone too. I am trying to restore main power using the fusion reactors on deck twelve but it will take some time. I'll have the fire control system back operational in a few moments. The same for environmental control. The plasma leeks in the warp nacelles are going to take awhile though. It's still to hot up there to get anywhere near the breach's. We've closed off the plasma conduits leading to the nacelles the venting will cease once they're empty."  
  
"Understood keep at it. Bridge out."

"Captain," Commander Urlet said. "You should get that seen to." The female Andorian gestured to Darien's broken left arm. She wasn't an expert on Human physiology not by a long shot but she knew enough to know that a Human arm, twisted in such a fashion midway down the forearm wasn't right. It was also obvious that her captain was in some pain though it was dampened at the moment by the adrenaline that would be coursing through his system. Darien looked reluctant to leave the bridge so she walked over to him and met his intelligent grey eyes with her own having to incline her head to do so since Darien was unusually tall for a Human and had a physique that could have been lifted from a Klingon warrior.

"You cannot help you're crew, Captain, if you are incapacitated or distracted by pain," she reasoned. Darien sighed. He knew Urlet was right. The Andorian, having been in Starfleet for nearly twenty years to his thirteen, had more experience than him. In the year that he had known her he had come to value her council.

"You're right. You have the bridge commander I'll be in sickbay. Keep me appraised of our situation."

"Aye sir." Reluctantly – but secretly relieved – Darien moved to the turbolift and got cradling his arm the whole time.  
  
"Sickbay," he ordered as he got into the lift. The doors closed and the turbolift started moving.  
  
Lieutenant Rakan looked up just after his commanding officer had left the bridge.

"Commander sensors are picking up something strange," he reported frowning at the display. In the three lifetimes he had lived he had not seen anything like this. Urlet looked over at him.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Sensors are picking up something very strange. You should see this." Frowning Urlet walked up to the science station. "The quantum signature of the space surrounding us is completely different to ours. We're no longer in our own universe." For a few seconds there was silence on the bridge save for the soft wail of emergency sirens and the soft crackling of the fires.  
  
"What do you mean," Urlet asked at last. Rakan turned away from his screens to look at the Andorian who was quiet attractive by the standards of her species.

"Everything in the universe resonates on a quantum level," he explained. "That quantum signature is a constant. For example the quantum signature of a star is exactly the same as the quantum signature of any living cell from the most primitive organisms on up. The quantum signature cannot be changed by known phenomenon or process. There is only one thing in the universe that doesn't resonate on a quantum level and that's antimatter. Everything else even the most exotic dark matter resonates at precisely the same frequency."

"So it's kind of like a universe figure print," Beech said.

"Exactly."

"So you're saying that the quantum signature of the space around us is different to ours," Urlet summarised.

"Vastly different commander," Rakan confirmed. "And that's not the only thing. Astrometric scans confirm that we are still at the co-ordinates we were at in the Alpha Quadrant when we were pulled into the quantum fissure but the space around us is completely normal. The fissure that brought us here must have close behind us. Another thing is that the stars have changed. Only one star is still in the same position as before."

"Which one is it?" she asked.

"Sol. The other stars are all over the place. For example Proxima Centauri is a little bit closer to Sol than it should be. The Vulcan system doesn't even exist in its place is a black hole, the same is true of the Andorian system except in its place is a dark matter nebula. Bajor is at the co-ordinates that Cardassia is supposed to have. Romulus and Qo'nos have swapped places. And that's just to name a few." Again silence reigned on the bridge of _Resolution_. After a second a hissing sound replaced it as the automatic fire suppression systems came back on line and douched the three burning consoles in retardant. Environmental control came back on line at the same time and began clearing the smoke from the bridge.

Commander Urlet did not like what she had heard for a variety of reasons. This is not what they had expected to happen when they'd left Starbase 314 to go investigate the quantum fissures. Their chief concern now was getting back to there own universe – if that was even possible. But they needed to know more about where they were now as well. Finally she came to a decision that was the same as what Captain Parker would have made had he been standing on the bridge listening to this as well as her.

"Run astrometric scans to map the area surrounding us. I'll inform the captain of your findings."

"Aye sir."

**

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Sickbay

A Few Moments Earlier

Darien Parker walked into a sickbay that was filled almost to capacity with wounded crew members. Though he was not a doctor he could tell just by looking that most of the injuries were blunt force traumas caused when crewmen and women had been thrown into bulkheads or to the deck when the ship had been in the grip of the quantum fissure. A few more serious injuries though were burns caused by plasma leaking from ruptured EPS conduits or in some cases from electrical fires that were still burning in some parts of the ship.

Walking into a sickbay full of wounded people brought back unpleasant memories of the Dominion War. The sickbay on the _Challenger_ had frequently been like this after a battle with the enemy. He couldn't help but feel responsible though in his heart he knew he couldn't have done anything else, no one could have anticipated what was going to happen. Still this was his command, his crew he couldn't help but feel responsible for them getting hurt.

"Captain," a familiar voice said sounding tired and concerned. Darien pushed aside the guilty thoughts and turned to find himself confronted by his chief medical officer Dr Simon Tarses. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"I took a bad spill on the bridge," Darien explained. "My arms broken."  
  
"Yes I can see that," the Human/Romulan hybrid said softly. "Come over here." Darien followed the doctor over to the main bio bed. A crewman in engineering uniform lay there being cared for by one of the medical staff. The young mans face, torso and arms were covered with horrendous plasma burns from that EPS conduit that exploded in engineering killing the chief engineer outright. To Darien the sight was depressingly familiar. Plasma burns were one of the most common injuries you got on a starship in the middle of a war and they hurt like hell. Thankfully dermal regenerators meant that you wouldn't get a scar no matter how badly burned you were.  
  
Tarses picked up both a medical tricorder and a regenerator. First thing he did was scan his captain with the tricorder.  
  
"You have a nasty fracture of the radius," he said after a moment. "Nothing I cannot deal with." He closed the tricorder and put it down before running the regenerator up and down Darien's forearm several times. After the first pass Darien felt the pain diminish, it had almost faded entirely by the seventh pass. "They're all healed. It will ache for a few days but it'll be fine provided you don't put to much stress on your arm. That means no weight training or rock climbing for a week am I clear?"  
  
"As crystal," Darien replied covering a sigh at not being allowed to do either of the two things that calmed him the most – it was a wonderful stress relief as well as keeping you fit. He'd discovered that when he'd been in high school.  
  
"Good. I'm not saying that you cannot exercise captain but light exercise only no weights not for at least a week."  
  
"Fine. Now then doctor. What are our casualties like?"  
  
"Most of the injuries are blunt force trauma's. Broken bones, punctured lungs that sort of thing. The worst is Ensign Mallory he's broken both legs and sustained internal injuries to his abdominal area. Everyone will make a full recovery in a few hours. The burns are another matter. We have a lot of burn cases mainly from engineering – three engineering crewmen in addition to Lieutenant Commander T'Lar have died I am afraid. The others the burns vary in severity from five to thirty percent burns. Everyone will make a complete recovery but its going to take awhile."

"Keep me informed doctor."  
  
"I will don't worry."  
  
"Urlet to Parker," came the familiar voice of Commander Urlet over the comm. Darien tapped his combadge.  
  
"Yes commander?"  
  
"Sir we have a very serious problem."****

**

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Ready Room

A Couple Of Hours Later

Darien sat quiet in the solitude of his ready room trying to decide what on Earth to do now. At the academy and command school they had not taught anything about how to cope with suddenly having your ship and crew thrown into a completely different universe with no known way of getting back. He supposed that he was lucky that only a few crew members had died in the transit and that the _Resolution_ herself was intact and thanks to the valiant repair efforts of his engineers fully operational once again though they still hung in space at the same co-ordinates.

Getting back to there own universe though that was going to be very tricky to say the least. From time to time various Federation ships had encountered instances of parallel and occasionally alternate universes but such incidents were very rare and no starship had ever really been put in the situation the _Resolution_ was now in, trapped in a completely different universe to there own with no obvious way to return home. Rakan already had the whole science department working on trying to find away to return to there home universe but the Trill had already confessed that there chances of finding away back were slim to none. They needed to find someone in this universe who could help them and there was only once place they could start and that was the single place of common reference to there own universe: Earth.

"Bridge to captain," Commander Urlet's voice abruptly came over the comm. Darien tapped his combadge.

"Yes commander."

"Captain were picking up a distress call on one of the higher subspace bands. It's coming from a nearby planetary system. Sir you're going to want to see this."

"Put the distress call on screen," Darien ordered standing up and walking round his desk towards the door. "I'll be right there."  
  
"Aye sir." The doors to the bridge opened just as Urlet was signing off.  
  
A stately middle-aged Human woman was displayed on the view screen. She looked very scared and desperate, the air around her was filled with smoke other Humans could be seen running back and forth, or manning consoles. The whole image shook periodically as if wherever she was transmitting from was under attack. Static kept rolling across the transmission in time with the shocks.  
  
"To anyone who can here me," the woman said in a frightened, desperate tone. "This is High Chancellor Travell of the Tollan. Our planet is under attack by the Goa'uld. Planetary defences failing. Please assist. I repeat this is…"  
  
"Turn that off," Darien ordered. The signal vanished. "Helm how long would it take us to get to the Tollan planet?"  
  
"At maximum warp five minutes."  
  
"Take us there. Commander Urlet inform Doctor Tarses to prepare for emergency medical aide to a planetary population."  
  
"Aye, sir." Darien moved to the command chair as the warp engines engaged.  
  
"Red alert," he ordered calmly. "All hands man battle stations." Klaxon's wailed throughout the ship sending the crew hurrying to their stations.


	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

Tollan Control Room

Tollana

High Chancellor Travell held on grimly to the edge of the main situation table as the control room buried beneath the Tollan capital city shook again and again. Tanneth's bombardment was moving back into the capital city now. There few remaining ion cannons were still firing upon his mothership but the weapons once powerful enough to blow even the biggest Goa'uld motherships from the sky with just a few shots were not getting through the new shields protecting Tanneth's ship. There sensors had shown that the shields were slowly weakening as volley after volley of ion cannon fire slammed into them, but unfortunately Tanneth had noticed it too and was now concentrating the bulk of his fire on the ion cannon network systematically destroying it leaving his gliders and Alkesh to bomb and strafe the cities.

The Stargate had been hit already so their was no chance of escaping to Earth through it – if the Tau'ri would let them come considering that Travell had made a deal with Tanneth to produce phase shift weapons for the Goa'uld one of whom had been targeted at Earth before a horrified, outraged Narim used one of the ion cannons to destroy the building where the weapons were being stored.  
  
Travell was actually relieved that the weapons had been destroyed even though it had precipitated this genocidal assault. No civilisation would face the horror those weapons had been capable of inflicting – she'd been blind and desperate to save her people from Tanneth and his mysterious master that she hadn't really stopped to think about the implications of what she'd done when she'd made that deal with Tanneth. It was only when Tanneth had ordered that one of the phase shift weapons be readied to send through the Stargate to Earth that the full horror of what she had done had dawned upon her. There were six billion people on the Human planet and all of them would have been wiped out by that weapon and its fallout and their blood would have been on her hands. And Earth would have only been the first world. Many more would have suffered if those weapons hadn't been destroyed.

On of the control room staff turned from his workstation to look at Travell.

"High Chancellor our defences are almost gone. Our people are dying by the thousands. We must evacuate the planet before Tanneth turns his main guns back on the cities." Travell sighed. She had hoped that through some miracle someone – like the Asgard – would come to help them so she could avoid having to abandon Tollana as they'd been forced by increasing geological instability to abandon Tollan. It was why she'd sent that distress call.  
  
"Give the evacuation order," Travell said softly a note of utter defeat in her voice.  
  
"Yes your eminence." Before the controller could do as ordered the Goa'uld's orbital bombardment stopped leaving only the weaker explosions being caused by the attacking gliders and Alkesh.

"Your eminence a large unidentified alien ship has just entered orbit," another controller reported in astonishment. "Tanneth is moving to intercept them."

"Show me."

A monitor screen rose from the situation table showing her a view of space over Tollana as viewed from the orbital observatory satellites – those that hadn't already been shot down. The screen showed the image of a sleek alien ship gliding into orbit and Tanneth's Shalkra-class mothership moving up from its low bombardment orbit to confront it. The alien ship was of a design that she had never seen before and she wondered who they were. At the same time a new hope came to her that these newcomers might have the power to stop Tanneth and the slaughter of her people.

She intently watched the screen and hoped that they would be able to help.

**

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**

Outer Limits Of Tollan System

A Few Moments Earlier

The U.S.S _Resolution_ dropped out of warp at the edge of the system and immediately activated her stealth systems so that no one in the system would detect their presence unless they wanted them too. While the Federation lacked cloaking technology because of the Treaty of Algeron they had developed other forms of stealth technology. The most advanced being a multiadaptive force field that not even Borg sensors could penetrate and that was even with knowledge gained from the individuals who developed the first multiadaptive shield. It was that kind of stealth system that the _Resolution_ was equipped with though her multiadaptive shield was considerably more advanced than the one developed by the Hansen's.

"Scan the system Mr Wu," Darien ordered to the young Chinese lieutenant who had replaced the late Ensign Q'rra as operations officer. "I want to know what's going on in this system."

"Aye sir." For a few moments there was silence on the bridge of the _Resolution_ as her powerful sensors probed the system. "Sir I read one class M planet. A large ship is in low orbit and is firing on the planet. Weapons fire is impacting in densely populated areas and damage is substantial. I read multiple surface weapons firing back but there not penetrating the attacker's shields. Counter fire from the planet is steadily dropping off but the warship is continuing its bombardment. I'm also detecting activity in the atmosphere consistent with fighter and bomber style ships attacking the planet."

"There still firing at the planet even though they cannot be hurt," Darien said angered and appalled by the brutality. The Cardassians, Breen and Jem'Hadar had done such things during the Dominion War and he had seen the effects of there bombardments. To see another race doing it against someone who obviously couldn't really fight back – though they were trying – annoyed him. "Helm plot course to intercept the attacking ship. Mr Beech disengage our stealth system and raise our shields and deploy armour."

"Aye sir." The multiadaptive shield – which was useless for combat – came down and their regenerative multispatial shields rose in their place. Simultaneously a thudding sound could be heard throughout the ship as the ablative armour generators deployed. Weapons systems automatically came to full readiness.

The impulse engines engaged and the _Resolution_ rapidly accelerated to full impulse power or .65 c. Driven by her mighty impulse engines the powerful starship crossed the system in just a few moments moving into orbit of Tollana on a direct interception course with the Goa'uld mothership, which was only just starting to react to the surprise arrival moving from its bombardment position to a higher orbit to confront the starship.

On the bridge of the _Resolution_ everything was calm and orderly as the crew went about their duties during a red alert with competent efficiency. Captain Darien Parker sitting in his chair kept both eyes peeled on the view screen as the ship glided into orbit. The planet was beautiful – like most M-class planets. But right now its beauty was marred by the thick smoke plumes he could see rising into the atmosphere from the fires burning in the planets cities.  
  
The ship most responsible for the destruction was sitting in orbit. It was a big ship too, Darien noticed, about twice the size of a Galaxy-class starship and had a very bizarre design. The main body of the ship appeared to be a massive pyramid structure. A large double-hulled ring surrounded the pyramid taking up the central third of the ship and held to the base and hull by massive struts that no doubt contained connecting corridors, power conduits and other things important to the function of a starship.  
  
"Tactical analysis Mr Beech," he ordered calmly.

"The alien warship is very heavily armed," Beech reported consulting the tactical sensors at his station. "The ship is protected by a type-six deflector shield," Darian raised an eyebrow at that type-six deflectors were old technology by Federation standards and hadn't been used in almost seventy years.

"There main weapons are a form of phased energy pulse cannon," Beech continued, "however the energy pulse is closer to that of phase cannon instead of a true phaser. The warship appears to have two different sizes of these cannons. I read eight large primary cannons and twenty smaller secondary turreted batteries probably for antifighter use as opposed to capital ship engagement. The ship is also armed with plasma based torpedoes analogous to the first Romulan plasma torpedoes. I read twelve torpedo banks. They've got a lot of weapons sir but there no match for us. Or shields can easily withstand there fire and our own weapons are vastly superior."

Beech's sensors chirped.

"Sir the alien ship is targeting us," he reported.

"Return the favour target them," Darien ordered. "Mr Wu hail them."

"Channel open sir."

"Alien vessel this is Captain Darian Parker of the Federation starship _Resolution_. Break off your assault on the planet and leave this system in peace immediately or we will be forced to engage you."

"Sir there responding." A Human – or Human looking alien – in lavishly decorated robes appeared on the screen and the way he looked at them made Darian immediately dislike him. The alien commander's demeanour screamed arrogance, hostility and over confidence. And he looked at them as though they were a bug at his feet that he could step on.

[This does not concern you Human,] the man said in a strange deep and distorted voice that was Human yet at the same time wasn't, his eyes glowed briefly as he spoke. [If you know what is good for you, you will leave this system now while I am feeling merciful.]

"This does concern me," Darian replied standing up and moving closer to the screen. "You're firing upon defenceless people intent on wiping them out. Where I come from that's called murder and genocide. I've scanned your vessel your firepower is no match for mine. As I see it you have two choices. Leave peacefully…"

[I find your insolence amusing,] the man replied and he really did sound amused. [What is my second option Human!]

"If you don't leave peacefully I will make you leave. And it won't be pleasant."

[You dare to threaten a god. I have put up with your insolence long enough. I offered you the chance to leave and you have refused. Now you will feel my wrath.] The alien disappeared from the screen.

"Well that could have gone better," Darian said moving back to the command chair as the Goa'uld mothership opened fire on them.

A stream of bright gold energy pulses shot out from one of the motherships main guns. The _Resolution's_ forward shields glowed a soft blue at the points where the pulses impacted, effortlessly blocking the attack.

The deck beneath Darien's feet only shuddered slightly.

"Return fire," he ordered calmly. A bright orange beam of phased particle energy shot out of the upper forward phaser strip. The beam streaked across the starlit blackness of space to impact the enemy ships shields punching them well into the red area of the spectrum and making the ship shudder noticeably.

"Direct hit," Beech reported. "Their shields are down to forty percent reading some damage to their outer hull. They are firing again." Multiple streams of phase cannon fire shot from the Goa'uld mothership as every primary cannon that could be brought to bear fired, secondary cannons joined in sending out streams of twin pulses. The barrage impacted the _Resolution's_ shields, which again withstood the assault without flinching.

"Obviously these Goa'uld cannot take a hint," Darien commented as the deck shuddered with slightly more force than before but nothing like the violent jolts there would be if they were engaged against any enemy in there own universe who had weapons that matched there own or exceeded them in some cases like the Borg.

"There firing torpedoes," Beech reported. On the screen the Goa'uld vessel sent a salvo of plasma torpedoes – of a kind not used in there universe in a hundred years – streaking across space towards them. The torpedoes impacted the forward shields and detonated each blast looking like a small sun. The Goa'uld followed there torpedoes with another round of phase cannon fire. The impact rocked the _Resolution_ but her shields held. "Forward shields at ninety-five percent. Regeneration in progress."

By this point Darian had had more than enough of this farce of a battle. He had hoped that the Goa'uld would give up once they realised that they couldn't hurt him but he could easily destroy them. But obviously the Goa'uld were too arrogant and too stubborn to release that they were hopelessly overmatched and that in this instance discretion was the better part of valour. It was time to end this.

"Helm attack pattern delta four. Mr Beech target there shields are weapons systems. I want them disabled not destroyed."

"Aye, sir."

The _Resolution _burst into motion again and immediately went on the offensive sending another fully powered phaser blast into the Goa'uld ship. The Goa'uld shields collapsed and the penetrating beam cut into the motherships side causing a major hull breach. The mothership literally seemed to stagger back in space from the force of the hit, plasma and debris shot out of the burning gash in its side. Like a predator pouncing on its prey the _Resolution_ swooped on the Goa'uld mothership firing more phaser blasts this time hitting weapons arrays. Had the beams been still at full power the mothership would have been instantly annihilated but in accordance with his captains orders Beech had reduced the power of the beams so they were just sufficient to demolish the motherships weapons arrays without seriously harming the rest of the ship.

"Helm bring us around to face them then all stop," Darien ordered as small explosions erupted across the mothership at the points where its weapons banks had once been.

"Aye sir." The _Resolution_ came to a dead stop then gracefully pivoted in space so that her bow was facing the now toothless Goa'uld mothership.

"Hail them Mr Wu."

"Aye sir." The Goa'uld commander appeared on the view screen now standing on a smoke clouded bridge. Darien could see fires burning behind him. The alien spoke immediately.

[I will make you suffer for this insolence Human,] he growled.

"Oh really," Darien replied with a laugh. "And how do you plan to do that? You're ship is defenceless. Your shields are gone and your weapons systems are destroyed. I could destroy you in an instant. But I do not want you dead. If I had wanted that you would not be talking to me now. I could have blown you out of the stars with my first shot had I wanted to. Now I will ask you one last time. Leave this system."

[Or you'll what.] Darien smiled a grim smile.

"Mr Beech lock a photon torpedo onto the Goa'uld ship and prepare to fire on my command. Target the main power core."

"Aye sir. Torpedo locked and ready."

On the screen an alien voice – this one sounding completely human – called out in a language the universal translator didn't catch. No doubt whoever it was Darian guessed that they were informing the enemy commander of the lock on. A look of pure hatred crossed the Goa'uld's face as he realised how dangerously close to dying he was. He knew that if the _Resolution_ fired his ship and everyone on board would be reduced to a few stray atoms nothing more.  
  
[This isn't over Human,] the Goa'uld snarled after a moment. [You will die a thousand painful deaths for this insolence. I will hunt you to ends of the galaxy.]  
  
"I wouldn't if I were you," Darien replied. "If I encounter you or your kind again I will not hesitate to blow you out of space," his grey eyes turned hard, "attack me again and you will die."

[We shall see about that. You shall feel the wrath of the Goa'uld this I swear.] The transmission ended as the Goa'uld stopped transmitting and the mothership returned to the view screen.

The Goa'uld warship was pulling away out of orbit and moving out into open space a slick of glowing wreckage and burning plasma trailing behind it. Around half a dozen small craft came up from the planet dodging bright blue-white energy bolts shooting at them from the surface, about three didn't make it and disappeared in balls of superheated plasma. The survivors hurriedly caught up with the bigger ship and nestled in close to it. A moment later the badly damaged Goa'uld mothership opened a hyperspace window and disappeared taking its remaining gliders and Alkesh with it.

"Stand down from red alert," Darien ordered. "Keep a sensor lock on that ship until it leaves our range I don't want them sneaking back on us. And Mr Beech if they do return destroy them."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"Captain we are being hailed by the surface," Lieutenant Wu reported. "It's High Chancellor Travell."  
  
"On screen." The image of the stately middle aged woman who was the leader of the Tollan people appeared on the view screen. The air around her was still thick with smoke but it was obviously slowly thinning. In the background they could here cheering.

"I do not know who you are or where you come from but on behalf of the Tollan people I thank you," Travell said relief and gratitude in her voice. "You have just saved my people from extinction. Had he been permitted to continue his bombardment Tanneth would have slaughtered every last one of us."

"High Chancellor Travell my name is Captain Darien Parker of the Federation starship _Resolution_ you are very welcome." Travell looked surprised and more than a little confused.

"I know of no organisation called the Federation," she said. "And your name and your ships name are Tau'ri style names. You are from Earth are you not?"

"In a manner of speaking High Chancellor," Darien replied simultaneously wondering what a Tau'ri was. Was it what people from Earth were called in this universe? "We come from a different Earth to the one you know in a different quantum universe to this one." On the screen Travell was nodding in comprehension it was apparent immediately that she had a very good knowledge of one of the quirkier aspects of quantum physics.

"That it explains quiet a bit especially the advanced nature of your vessel. In this reality the inhabitants of Earth do not yet have starship technology and are only capable of reaching other planets through the gate system."

"Gate system?"  
  
"Yes the Stargate network. You have no idea what I am talking about do you?"  
  
"No I'm afraid not we will have to discuss it at a later date in the meantime my sensors show that you have sustained massive damage and heavy casualties. I have emergency medical teams and medical supplies ready to beam down to assist you."  
  
"Captain Parker any assistance you provide would be most welcome."  
  
"Then the medical teams will begin beaming down immediately."  
  
"Beaming? Do you mean matter-energy transport?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Fascinating. We will be ready to receive your personnel and supplies. But I fear they will not be enough. Our Stargate and subspace transmitters have been destroyed. Would you mind if one of my people came aboard your ship to call our allies for some additional help?"  
  
"No of course not. When he or she is ready to come aboard just hail us and give us the co-ordinates."  
  
"Thank you captain. We will contact you again shortly. Travell out." Travell's image disappeared from the screen. Darien turned to Commander Urlet.  
  
"Commander please tell Doctor Tarses to begin transporting his emergency relief teams and medical supplies to the surface of Tollana. And commander I want you to coordinate the relief effort."  
  
"Aye sir."

**

* * *

**

A Short Time Later

Narim stood in the central courtyard in the remains of the complex that had once been home to the Curia. The bulk of the structure had been destroyed when a Goa'uld plasma bomb from an Alkesh destroyed the Stargate which had stood in this very courtyard. The naquada in the gate had amplified the explosion destroying most of the government complex.

From where he was standing he could see out over the rest of the Tollan capital city of Tosal – or at least what was left of it. Most of the buildings had been raised to the ground destroyed either by the Alkesh and there cargo's of plasma bombs or a pulse blast from orbit. A few buildings did still stand but most of those were burning or so badly damaged that they could collapse at any time. A premature dusk had fallen on Tosal a dusk created by the thick plumes of black smoke rising from the ruins of the city that also reflected a sickly orange-red glow from the fires.

Did I do the right thing, he thought guilty staring out at the smouldering ruins of the capital and the unknown numbers of dead and wounded. He didn't want to think about how many of his fellow Tollan lay dead in the rubble of there once gleaming capital. He couldn't help but feel responsible for there deaths. He was after all the one who had provoked this attack by destroying the phase shift weapons to save Earth and numerous other worlds throughout the galaxy. But in ensuring there safety – as his late friend Councillor Omoc had wanted – he had brought horrendous suffering down upon his own people.

"Narim," Travell's voice said from behind him. Narim turned around to see the High Chancellor standing behind him. There were no security guards with her so it was highly unlikely that he was about to be taken into custody.

"Yes your eminence?"

Travell didn't answer straight away instead she came to stand beside him and gazed out over the burning city. She shuddered at the sight of so much destruction, so much death.

"By all accounts I should have you arrested for bringing this down upon us," she said looking over the skyline that had once been so beautiful but was now marred by dark columns of thick smoke and the orange glow of fire. "But you did the right thing in destroying those weapons and in standing up to Tanneth you had the courage to do what I could not do. So I will not discipline you for acting on your conscience."  
  
"So what do you intend to do eminence?" Narim asked surprised that Travell was not going to punish him in anyway for his disobedience.

"I have a task for you," she said. "You know of the alien warship that saved us from Tanneth?"  
  
"Yes I saw it on the shelter monitors."  
  
"The ship is named the _Resolution_. Her commanding officer a Captain Darien Parker is sending down medical supplies and relief parties. But his help as generous as it is will not be enough. All of our subspace communication stations have been destroyed so he has agreed to allow one of us to go aboard his ship and use there's."  
  
"For what purpose?"

"The purpose is twofold. First to call for additional assistance from our allies we are going to need all the help we can get to recover from this tragic sequence of events. I want you to be the one to go aboard the _Resolution_. Call all of our allies Narim, the Tok'ra, the Nox even the Tau'ri. They may not have spacefaring technology but they have the kind of resources we will need in vast quantities. Maybe the Tok'ra could help them to bring those resources here. Or they may very well call the Asgard for assistance."

"And the second part?"

"We are indebted to Captain Parker and his crew for coming to our aide, for saving us from genocide and risking themselves and there ship in the process. They could not have known when they came here that there weapons and defences were superior to those of the Goa'uld. They must be given information on the Goa'uld Narim. They must know that they have inadvertently got involved in a war. I just hope that they don't leave until were back on our feet again. For I doubt that we have seen the last of Tanneth. The Goa'uld always return, and in greater numbers always in greater numbers."

"I understand. How do I get aboard the _Resolution_?"  
  
"Easy," Travell replied and manipulated a device on her wrist. "I have just sent you're exact co-ordinates to the _Resolution_. Do not move." Narim frowned then the strangest sensation passed through him.  
  
It was a strange tingly sensation that although very strange was not unpleasant. The world blurred and for a heartbeat became nothing but a strange shimmering silver-white light surrounding him. Then the world reformed and the sensation vanished and he looked around in shock.

He was no longer on the surface of Tollana looking out over the smouldering capital city. Instead he was standing on a raised platform in a room that was obviously on a starship. Facing him was a tall muscular Human in his early thirties. He was wearing a jumpsuit that was mainly black but with a bar of grey over the upper chest and shoulders. Beneath the jumpsuit he was wearing some kind of red top that came to halfway up his neck. Four gold pins were attached to it on the side. A red band ran around the wrists of the uniform. The man wore a strange insignia on the left hand side of his chest. Standing behind him at a raised console was a woman in a similar jumpsuit, with insignia but her top and wrist bands were gold and she had no pins on her collar instead she had a single metal strip.

"Welcome to the Federation ship _Resolution_," the man said. "My name is Captain Darien Parker." He held out his hand in a gesture that Narim had only really seen Tau'ri use.  
  
"My name is Narim," Narim replied taking the man's hand and shaking it. "The Curia asked me to come here to contact our allies."  
  
"Yes I know," Darien replied. "Come this way." Narim stepped down off the pad and followed the muscular younger man out of the room and into a brightly illuminated corridor.  
  
"Captain Parker I am curious how did you bring me onboard?"  
  
"Transporter beam."  
  
"Ah I see. We've experimented into transporter technology for more than a century but have never been able to produce a working transporter."  
  
"Developing transporters is tricky," Darien agreed. "We've had this technology for three hundred years and we are still making improvements even now." The stopped at a set of doors built into the bulkhead. The doors opened at their approach revealing a lift of unusual design. "Bridge," Darien ordered once they were inside. There was a confirming beep from the computer and the turbolift started moving.  
  
Strangely Narim felt nothing. If it weren't for the lights moving behind translucent panels in the walls he wouldn't even know they were moving. _Good motion compensators_, he thought. After a moment the lift came to a stop. The doors opened and they stepped out onto a bridge that took Narim's breath away in its combination of aesthetics, spaciousness and efficiency. Consoles around the room and built into the bulkheads were covered with displays showing the status of every system on the ship as well as sensor readings and other things.  
  
"Welcome to the bridge," Darien said. "Lieutenant Wu will show you how to operate our subspace communications array." He gestured at a young man sitting at one of the front consoles facing the far wall which was entirely view screen showing Tollana and its single moon Korada. Narim walked over. The lieutenant got up to allow him to sit in the seat. Narim found it comfortable but not comfortable enough to completely relax in – which he assumed was the chairs purpose.  
  
"You can access the main communications array through this panel," Wu told Narim gesturing at a set of controls on one side of the console.  
  
Standing over near the command chair Darien watched for a few moments and smiled. Before moving over to the science station to see if Rakan had made any progress in finding them away home, if there was away.


	4. Chapter Four

****

Chapter Four

Stargate Command

That Same Time

It was a distinctly downbeat SG-1 who sat at the briefing room table being thoroughly debriefed on the events that had taken place on Tollana. Conducting the debriefing was General George Hammond – commanding officer of Stargate Command – who like his premier team was becoming depressed as the debriefing progressed, depressed and also alarmed.

When Travell had made her offer to share her peoples powerful ion beam weapons technology with Stargate Command he and his superiors had been elated it was everything they had ever asked for. A high-energy particle weapon that had proven time and time again that it could destroy Goa'uld motherships with ease. They had believed that they would never have to worry about the Goa'uld attacking Earth – and risking incurring the wrath of the Asgard – ever again. But now as SG-1 spoke that hope was dashed with the realisation that it had all been a lie.

Travell had been genuine when she'd said she'd give them the ion cannons in exchange for trinium but what she hadn't told them was that the weapons were now next to useless against the Goa'uld. Or at least against Tanneth and whatever master he now served.

The revelation about the existence of a new Goa'uld – a Goa'uld who possessed more advanced technology than the others of his evil kind – was deeply disturbing. The fact that Tanneth had effectively blackmailed the Tollan into producing phase shifting weapons for his unnamed master was even more so. Thankfully with the aide of Narim the phase shift weapons had been destroyed and SG-1 had left Tollana just as Tanneth kept true to his threat and began firing on the planet with energy weapons more powerful than anything seen from the Goa'uld before. They hadn't wanted to leave but Narim had made them with the argument that the battle with Tanneth was one the Tollan would have to fight alone.

"Whoever this new Goa'uld is we know that he possess a dangerous technological advantage over the System Lords," Major Samantha Carter said in summary. "As evidenced by the fact that the shields on his motherships could withstand Tollan ion cannon fire without damage when a mothership of any other Goa'uld would have been instantly obliterated."

"The Goa'uld do not share technology with each other," Teal'c added. "The improved shields and whatever other advances this Goa'uld has made in technology make him a very grave threat to the current balance of power in the galaxy."  
  
"However there is one piece of good news," Daniel said. "Whoever this new Goa'uld is we know that he still fears the Asgard. Otherwise he would have sent the phase shift weapon through the Stargate himself not tried to get the Tollan to do it."  
  
Before anyone could reply an alarm started sounding throughout the complex.  
  
"General Hammond to the control room. General Hammond to the control room," a voice said over the tannoy.  
  
Hammond leapt to his feet, wincing slightly at the stab of arthritis in his left leg and hurried to the stairwell connecting the briefing room to the control room. A highly curious SG-1 tagged along.  
  
As soon as the reached the control room one of the technicians on duty noticing their presence spoke up.  
  
"Sir we're receiving an audio visual transmission from a deep space communications device," the technician said. "The transmission is coming from the Tollan homeworld but it's not on either a Tollan or Goa'uld frequency."

Hammond wasn't sure that he wanted to hear anything from the Tollan now. Travell's betrayal cut deep but could he hold that against the whole of her race.

"Put it through," he ordered at last.

A familiar face flashed up on one of the overhead screens drawing looks of surprise and delight from SG-1 as they saw Narim's face. The Tollan had through some miracle survived and managed to destroy Tanneth's ship or at least drive it off.  
  
"General Hammond," Narim said. "It is a pleasure to see you again."  
  
"And you too Narim. I take it you're people survived Tanneth's assault," Hammond responded.  
  
"Not without more than a little help," Narim replied. "We were on the brink of total defeat and were about to flee Tollana when an alien starship called the _Resolution_ appeared over Tollana having heard a planetary distress call transmitted by Travell. They engaged Tanneth's mothership and disabled and disarmed it in moments. Had they not come we would have been exterminated. As it is so many of us have died," there was anguish in Narim's voice as he spoke, "our main cities are in ruins. I am only calling you now with their help. Our own subspace transmitters have been destroyed so they've been kind enough to let us use theirs. We need your help."

"How do you mean?"

"As I said our main cities are in ruins. We need food, emergency shelters, medical assistance our hospitals have all been destroyed or severely damaged, rescue personnel to help comb the wreckage for survivors."  
  
"We'd be glad to help Narim," Hammond said knowing full well that the president would authorise it. They would never turn away a cry for help like this. "We will send as much as we can through the Stargate at once."  
  
"I'm afraid that will not be possible. Our Stargate has been destroyed. I have spoken to the Tok'ra they can spare a few cargo ships to transport supplies. If you send you're supplies and personnel to their base on Ravana they will transport them. We were also hoping that you could maybe contact the Asgard and ask them if they could be of assistance."  
  
"We will certainly try Narim."  
  
"That is all we can ask thank you General Hammond." Narim disappeared from the screens then.  
  
For a few moments there was silence in the control room. Then finally General Hammond spoke up.  
  
"I'll go speak to the president," he said. "Jack you and SG-1 get ready to go to K'Tau and see if you can persuade the Asgard to help deliver relief supplies to the Tollan."  
  
"Yes sir." Jack O'Neill whirled and left the control room the rest of SG-1 hot on his heels.  
  
Hammond meanwhile went back upstairs and to his office off the briefing room. Closing the door he moved over to his desk and sat down. Then he picked up the red phone on his desk and pressed a button.  
  
"This is General Hammond," he said to the White House switchboard operator who immediately answered the direct line. "Let me speak to the president."  
  
"Of course General one moment please."

* * *

Hall Of Wisdom K'Tau

A Short Time Later

The Asgard transporter beam dropped them off in the underground chamber that was SG-1's prime source of contact with the Asgard. Without hesitation Sam Carter moved over to a panel set into the wall on the other side of the room just as the hologram of Freyer – the Asgard in charge of protecting this particular planet – coalesced into being out of thin air. Freyer like always was clad in the holographic disguise of a Human in Norse warrior garb since the K'Tau as a people were not yet ready to see the Asgard in there true form.

"I am Freyer," the hologram said in its pre-programmed message. "You are wise to come before…." The hologram vanished as Sam opened the control panel in the wall and changed the position of the control stone on the crystalline circuitry panel inside.

For a second nothing happened then a new hologram coalesced into existence on the transmission circle this time a hologram of an Asgard in its real form, and unlike the previous hologram this one wasn't a recording with pre-programmed responses. This transmission was a live signal connecting K'Tau to wherever Freyer was in person be it on the Asgard homeworld or on an Asgard battlecruiser somewhere in space.

The small delicate looking Asgard looked surprised to hear from them again so soon after they'd previously spoken when SG-1 had inadvertently caused a shift in the emission spectrum of the K'Tau sun threatening all life on the planet. A shift that they'd corrected eventually – possibly with some covert assistance from the Asgard.

"Colonel O'Neill," Freyer said in recognition. "This is a surprising pleasure. For what reason are you contacting me?"

"To ask you for help. Not for us but for someone else," Jack responded and immediately got Freyer's full attention.

"Please explain."

Jack did just that. First he explained how SG-1 had received a message to go to Tollana to attend the funeral of Councillor Omoc, Narim's cryptic message saying that Earth was in grave danger and Travell's offer of ion cannons in exchange for trinium. He explained how the sudden U-turn in Tollan tech sharing policy had made them suspicious and how they'd covertly investigated with aide from Narim. And discovered that it was all a massive deception on the part of Travell to get hold of the trinium she needed to build phase shifting weapons for the Goa'uld Tanneth and his mysterious new master.

As he said that Freyer looked outraged that the Tollan – normally a people considered advanced by his kind – could even consider making a deal with the Goa'uld. He was even less pleased when Jack told him that Tanneth had ordered that as a test of there effectiveness one of the weapons be armed and sent through the Stargate to Earth in direct defiance of the protected planets treaty.

Still Freyer listened as Jack continued. Explaining how Narim had helped them destroy the phase shift weapons, their escape from Tollana just as Tanneth started to bombard the planet from space sitting comfortably behind his shields that were impervious to Tollan weaponry. Finally he concluded by telling Freyer about the Tollan's plea for humanitarian aide after a mysterious alien ship called the _Resolution_ had saved their planet from Tanneth but not before their Stargate had been destroyed and the majority of their cities reduced to rubble.  
  
When he had finished Freyer was silent for several moments.  
  
"I will speak to the High Council," Freyer said after a moment. "I will contact you with their answer shortly." Freyer's hologram evaporated.  
  
"Now what," Daniel Jackson asked.  
  
"We wait," Jack replied. "Anyone bring a deck of cards?"

* * *

They didn't have to wait that long. Barely twenty minutes after Freyer had broken the transmission he reappeared in the hologram circle.  
  
"The High Council has made its decision," Freyer stated. "They have agreed to assist you in delivering emergency relief to Tollana. We recently won a significant victory in our battle with the Replicators and are currently able to spare some ships. A warship and two cargo transports have been dispatched to your homeworld and will arrive soon. You will be pleased to know that Supreme Commander Thor has elected to lead the mission himself. One cargo ship will be carrying a new Stargate to replace the Tollan's own destroyed Stargate. In the meantime we will raise the matter of Tanneth's actions with the System Lords. The High Council is not pleased by his actions and we will make our displeasure clear to the System Lords so they may take the appropriate disciplinary action against Tanneth. Is that sufficient assistance O'Neill?"  
  
"More than enough Freyer thank you. Once there's another Stargate on Tollana we can send supplies there directly."  
  
"I hope the Tollan realise how much of a friend they have in your people," Freyer said. "If the Tollan had threatened us in the way that they threatened you with that phase shifting weapon we would not be so forgiving." O'Neill knew what that meant. The Asgard were friends to all, protectors to all, unless you threatened them or other species under their protection. Then they were a lethal foe. As the Goa'uld had learned in the past. The arrogant parasitic aliens had quickly learned to leave the Asgard - and Asgard protected planets - alone. Clashes did still occur but not often and if every case the Goa'uld came off the worst. Many a Jaffa army had been lost to the Asgard.  
  
"I am sure they do Freyer," Daniel Jackson replied.  
  
"Let us hope that you're species never losses its compassion. It is a great gift to have." With that last statement Freyer faded away.  
  
As was normal Sam replaced the control stone in its normal slot. The transporter beam activated and whisked SG-1 back up into the K'Tau church above.

* * *

Elrad - the K'Tau high priest - was waiting patiently for them to reappear before the stone of wisdom. After a few moments of patient waiting light flashed and the four elves of Midgard appeared before the stone through the magic of the gods - though they claimed it was not magic at all. Elrad didn't believe them - to him and his people Freyer and the Asgard were gods and that's all there was to it.  
  
"I hope that Freyer was able to assist you," he said politely.  
  
"Yes he was," O'Neill responded. "We have concluded the business we came here to discuss with the Asgard now we must return to our own home."  
  
"Of course I will walk you to the portal."  
  
As was his normal custom whenever the elves came from the mysterious place beyond the heavens known as Midgard he escorted them through the streets - which were packed with his people all out to catch a glimpse of the mysterious beings that had rapidly become friends to them and who were on a first name basis with the gods who brought them so much. Though it was late at night the stars shinning down from a clear night sky the people still lined the main street - dressed in nightclothes. As they walked the streets Elrad noted the discomfort their four visitors were experiencing - they always hated it when his people did something like this when they showed up. Elrad was not sure why, surely by showing them respect they were showing respect to the gods, but he knew he would only embarrass them further by commenting on it.  
  
A short while later they reached the stone ring that was so mysterious and so was the other stone thing - a strange pedestal with a crystal dome in the centre covered with rows of symbols. Elrad watched without understanding as the elves did that bizarre thing they always did that resulting in water appearing in the centre of the stone ring. For a second they paused the one called Sam Carter manipulating something on her wrist. Then the four elves walked up to the shimmering curtain and stepped through. A second later it vanished as if had never been.  
  
Elrad shook his head as he walked back towards the village. The powers of the gods and their emissaries was not for him or any other K'Tau to know let alone understand. He was just content to know that there were beings out there that protected his people from those who would harm them. 


	5. Chapter Five

Authors Note: Sorry about the delay with this. You will notice that there has been a change when Tanneth speaks that it is now normal speech just in bold face. This is because the characters I was previously using to indicate Goa'uld speech are not accepted anymore for some reason.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

The fleet of five Goa'uld Shalkra-class motherships hung silent in orbit of a dead world in a nameless star system, waiting for there next assignment to come through from there god Anubis.

A hyperspace window opened near the fleet and a tel'tac returned to normal space and moved unerringly towards the lead mothership. In moments the cargo vessel was along side the mothership looking tiny and insignificant next to the great warship that was many times its size. A slim stream of light abruptly snapped into existence between the cargo ship and the mothership. A denser pulse of light shot along the beam as someone transported aboard the mighty warship from the cargo ship. Then the transmission beam cut off and the cargo ship veered away and accelerated until it was clear of the fleet before opening a hyperspace window and leaving the system, its mission completed.

Tanneth along with his lotar materialised in the main ring room of the lead mothership. The two Jaffa waiting to greet him dropped to one knee and bowed there heads respectfully.

"Welcome my lord," the most senior of them said careful to keep his eyes aimed at the floor. It was not proper to look upon a god unless asked to do so. "We are deeply honoured by your presence."

**"Rise.**" Tanneth ordered inwardly pleased by the humility and respect the two Jaffa were showing to him. It was such a welcome difference from his time in the ranks of the Tok'ra as an infiltrator for the fallen Lord Apophis when he had been forced to deal with lesser beings as though they were equal to him and had to deal with that shol'va Teal'c.

The two Jaffa immediately did as they were bid though they kept there heads bowed and eyes aimed at the floor.

"What are your orders my lord," the senior Jaffa asked.

**"Is the fleet ready to depart."** Internally the Jaffa shivered fearfully at the tone in Tanneth's voice that said there would be hell to pay if the fleet wasn't ready.

"Of course my lord. All systems are fully operational we may depart at your leisure."

**"Excellent. Escort me to my quarters then lay in a course for Tollana."**

"Yes my lord."

As the Jaffa escorted him and his lotar through the corridors of the mothership towards the quarters designated for him Tanneth thought about his mission. He was both gratified and irritated by it. Gratified that he was returning to Tollana to confront the _Resolution_ with a force that she couldn't possibly defeat, irritated by the fact that he was not allowed to destroy her.

While there sensors had not been able to properly penetrate the _Resolution's_ shields and been stopped cold by the armour they had revealed a number of interesting things about the Federation vessel that had so abruptly appeared over Tollana. They'd revealed a little about the nature of the shields. They were multilayered appeared to have some sort of regenerative capability and partially based on some kind of multispatial technology. The shields apparently didn't take as much power as a Goa'uld shield would but there strength was immense as evidenced by the fact that the _Resolution_ had withstood every attack Tanneth had thrown at her without taking more than slight superficial damage.

Also an analysis of the beam weapon the _Resolution _had fired had been carried out. The beam was a phased particle weapon similar to there phase cannons but a lot more advanced and many times more powerful. The exact nature of the particles in the beam was unknown they'd never been encountered before and they seemed to possibly account for some of the beams awesome power.

The analysis of the shield and weapon information had been enough to convince Anubis that they needed to return, but with one provision. Anubis wanted the _Resolution_ as intact as possible so its technology could be studied and copied and also so they could find out where this Federation was located. The existence of a group of humans and aliens with their apparent power and technology level was a serious threat that would need to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

To ensure that the _Resolution_ was captured Anubis was sending Tanneth with five ships from his own fleet not one of the fleets of various minor Goa'uld who had joined with him. While Anubis did upgrade the shields, targeting systems and weapons of those who joined with him he didn't bring them quiet to the same level as his own ships. Anubis was no fool he kept the best upgrades for his own forces which made it difficult for any of those who joined him from overthrowing him and taking his place.

Tanneth took consolation in that he had been told he could do whatever he liked to the captain and crew of the _Resolution_. Anubis just wanted the ship itself. He was already thinking up ways he could get revenge on Captain Parker for humiliating him. Maybe he would kill the captains entire crew and make him watch, then maybe he'd torture him to death, revive him with the sarcophagus to torture him again and again. And then when the captain's mind was broken kill him. Abruptly another idea came to Tanneth and he grinned evilly to himself. He would take Captain Parker as a new host. The human was an excellent physical specimen that was obvious just looking at him, and he would make a perfect host. His current host Hebron was only barely tolerable. Captain Parker would be a more than suitable replacement and whatever technological knowledge he had would only boost Tanneth's own power.

Smiling evilly Tanneth walked down the corridors of the mothership towards the quarters assigned to him. Yes this was going to be a good day.

**

* * *

USS Resolution **

A Few Hours Later

Lieutenant Rakan sat before the main console in the astrometrics lab frowning at the chronometric readings displayed on the screen before him. _This cannot be right,_ he thought studying the readings. If these results were accurate then there situation had just gotten even more difficult to get out of. According to these readings the _Resolution_ had not just been displaced in universes by the quantum fissure but in time as well by three hundred and seventy-seven years. If it was the case it added a whole new set of problems to the quest to find away to recreate the quantum fissure that brought them here.

With quick commands to the console Rakan run another scan of the space-time continuum with the temporal sensors. The results came up and he groaned. They were exactly the same as the last time. With a sigh Rakan tapped his combadge. Captain Parker was not going to like this at all.

"Rakan to Parker." For a moment there was silence.

"Go ahead," Captain Parker's voice responded sounding a little out of breath. In the background Rakan could hear the chatter of Tameries - bird-like creatures native to Malora II the colony planet his captain hailed from. _He's running in the woods again_, Rakan thought.  
  
"Captain can you come to the astrometrics lab there's something you should see."  
  
"I'll be right there." Rakan tapped his combadge again closing the channel. Then he turned to the young Human ensign assisting him.  
  
"Ensign go over our sensor readings of our passage through the quantum fissure. Look for a temporal distortion."  
  
"Yes, sir." The young woman responded calling up the data on another station.

* * *

The doors to the astrometrics lab opened and a very bemused looking Darian Parker – still dressed in his running clothes came into the room. He walked over to where Rakan was working. 

"What is it lieutenant," Darian asked. Rakan looked over at him as he came and stood besides him at the main console.

"Take a look at this," Rakan instructed. Darien raised an eyebrow but did as he was told. _Ugh oh_, he thought.  
  
"Are these readings correct?"  
  
"Yes sir. I ran the scan twice. In addition to being displaced across universes we've also been temporally displaced by three hundred and seventy-seven years Earth time." Darien sighed and rubbed his temples to ease the headache he could feel forming. Darn it. He hated temporal mechanics. He knew of no one who actually liked temporal mechanics. The future is the past. The past is the future. All that stuff gave him a headache. Like many a starship captain.  
  
"Terrific. Just terrific. Not only have we been hurled into another quantum universe but now you tell me we've been hurled back in time as well," Darien moaned shaking his head. "What else can go wrong?" Rakan grinned slightly.  
  
The sensors bleeped abruptly. Rakan immediately turned his attention from his commanding officer to the sensors.  
  
"What is it?" Darien asked.  
  
"Two groups of ships are approaching through somekind of subspace slipstream similar to Borg transwarp corridors or a quantum slipstream."  
  
"Isn't that how the Goa'uld mothership left this system so quickly after we disabled her weapons?"  
  
"Yes. This form of faster than light travel is a bit more efficient than standard warp drive. The speed a ship can travel seems to depend on its energy reserve. I've already passed the sensor readings from the motherships departure to engineering. Lieutenant Barrett is right now working on a means of modifying our warp engines to travel in this manner. The warp core produces allot more energy than the reactors the Goa'uld use. We could travel allot faster than them if we are successful in adapting our engines. Theoretically with the power generated by this ships warp core we could navigate from one end of the galaxy to the other in only a few hours."  
  
"Interesting. Have Lieutenant Barrett send a copy of the data to my quarters. Maybe I could of assistance." Subspace field theory had always fascinated him ever since childhood. He'd been top of the subspace theory class at the academy. Starfleet's core of engineers had offered him a research position because of it. But he'd refused preferring an assignment in the fleet.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Can you identify the approaching ships?"  
  
"Yes. Six have energy signatures similar to the Goa'uld mothership but they're much smaller and do not appear to have any armament. The other three are completely different. They're travelling a bit faster for one thing which indicates a much greater energy reserve. Two are quiet small and have limited armament. The third is much bigger and very heavily armed. It's definitely a warship."  
  
"Could these ships belong to the allies that High Chancellor Travell and Narim mentioned."  
  
"Possibly. The first three ships will be here in about ten minutes. The other six five minutes after that."  
  
"Contact the surface. Advise High Chancellor Travell of the approaching ships. Since the Tollan don't have any operational long range sensors at the moment I don't want them startled unnecessarily."  
  
"Aye sir." Darien glanced down at himself seeing he wasn't exactly in the best clothing to go walking onto the bridge. Though he knew the two young female human ensigns on the bridge certainly wouldn't mind if he walked on dressed like this.

"In the meantime I'm going to my quarters to get back into my uniform."

* * *

High Chancellor Travell sat behind the desk in her temporary office off the main control room. Her main office was currently a pile of rubble like the rest of the Curia building. Once her people got back on their feet reconstruction would not take long with their technology - but the Curia building would be the last to be rebuilt they would concentrate on homes, schools, hydroponics facilities and hospitals first. Until then the government would operate out of the main planetary control centre.  
  
The door chime sounded.  
  
"Come in," Travell called. The door opened and Narim came in.  
  
"Your eminence we just received a transmission from the _Resolution_. Their sensors have detected the relief ships approaching," Narim reported.  
  
"How many?"  
  
"Nine. Six are Goa'uld cargo ships i.e. it's the Tok'ra. Two are Asgard cargo ships, one is definitely an Asgard battlecruiser." Travell looked relieved that relief ships were coming, but a little nervous about the fact that an Asgard warship was with them. The Asgard were not likely to be very happy with the Tollan at the moment. They were probably only coming now because the Humans had asked them.  
  
"It's good to know that there coming I didn't think that the Asgard would come. If Tanneth does return he's going to be in for a bit of a shock when he sees an Asgard cruiser in orbit."  
  
"There probably only coming because the Humans have probably asked them to. Remember your eminence the Asgard do owe the Humans one for saving them from the Replicators."  
  
"True. Have we heard from the Nox?"  
  
"No your eminence. But according to the _Resolution's_ sensors theirs heavy ion storm activity in the vicinity of the Nox homeworld. It's very likely that our request for assistance never reached them."  
  
"The _Resolution_ could tell that from here?" The Nox planet was nearly three hundred light years from Tollana well out of range of standard long-range sensors.  
  
"Apparently they have sensors that they refer to as astrometric sensors. Their range is extraordinary and the precision nothing short of amazing. They primarily use them to produce highly accurate star maps. But they can be used for other things as well."  
  
"I must remember to request a tour of that ship from Captain Parker," Travell said. "It sounds remarkable."  
  
"Believe me your eminence it is." Travell smiled slightly at Narim's tone. She'd looked at the results of some of their short-range scans of the _Resolution_. The scan results were limited in the fact that they couldn't scan certain areas of the Federation ship - for example the engineering section - but what she had seen had already told her a little about the highly advanced level of Federation technology. From what she'd seen so far the Federation was more advanced even than her people - not by much but they were definitely more advanced in most areas and possessed some technologies that the Tollan didn't have transporters for example.  
  
"We had better prepare for the arrival of the relief supplies," she said after a moment getting up from behind her desk. "Our people desperately need them."  
  
"Yes your eminence." 


	6. Chapter Six

****

Chapter Six

SG-1 stood with a sense nervous anticipation in Thor's chambers, on board his new flagship the _Valkastner_ as it glided through hyperspace on final approach to Tollana. In moments the huge new O'Neill-class battlecruiser and the two cargo ships under her protection would drop out of hyperspace and enter orbit of Tollana.

They knew Tollana would be in a mess. They'd all seen the effects of Goa'uld orbital bombardments before and it wasn't a pretty sight. The devastation that Goa'uld weapons could reek on a planets surface was terrible and Tanneth's weapons had been more powerful than what was normal for Goa'uld motherships so the damage would be even worse than normal. Though hopefully the devastation wouldn't be total as Tanneth hadn't been able to complete his slaughter having been forced to leave Tollana when the _Resolution_ – a ship with a very strange Tau'ri style name – arrived and disarmed his mothership with no effort at all.

Like their superiors every member of SG-1 was curious about this new ship and whichever race had built it. Who were they? Where did they come from? Thor himself had confessed that the Asgard High Council was equally curious about where the _Resolution_ had come from as they knew of no races in this part of the universe who were capable of building ships like her. Aside from themselves of course.

Well they would hopefully know the answer soon enough as the _Valkastner_ and the two cargo ships she was protecting/escorting were dropping out of hyperspace.

An Asgard transporter beam shimmered behind the members of SG-1 and Thor appeared in the chair behind his quarter's workstation.

"We have arrived," Thor said softly. A holographic screen appeared before them showing the planet with three small silhouettes of Asgard vessels approaching Tollana. The _Resolution_ was also visible hanging motionless over Tollana's northern continent.  
  
"Strange design," Sam Carter commented looking at the alien ship. It was an usual design compared to the ships they normally saw. A sleek beautiful alien design that seemed to incorporate beauty, elegance and predatory fierceness. The most curious feature of the ship were the two large nacelles held away from the main body of the ship by long pylons. Judging from the blue-white glow they were giving off they were obviously engines of somekind. On the front of each nacelle was a strange device that glowed with reddish light. The rest of the ship was divided up into two distinct sections. The forward part appeared to be a large oval shaped saucer that sat on top of the rest of the hull, which was a strange shape that was hard to describe. Vaguely cylindrical but not quiet a cylinder. A circular dish at the front of the lower hull glowed with gold light.  
  
"Indeed it is Major Carter," Thor agreed. "Attractive but strange." A glyph symbol flashed on the screen. "They are scanning us," Thor informed his guests. A side screen activated showing a member of the bridge crew. The crewman spoke briefing in Asgard and was answered in kind by Thor.  
  
"What's going on," Jack O'Neill demanded.  
  
"We are being hailed Colonel O'Neill," Thor answered. "We are responding in kind."  
  
At that moment the schematic view of the system vanished to be replaced by the larger than life image of a Human face back dropped by glowing displays and other Humans and aliens moving around behind the man facing them.  
  
"Alien vessel I am Captain Darien Parker of the Federation Starship _Resolution_. Please state your intentions." SG-1 traded looks of surprise. Darien Parker was an Earth name. Could this guy be from the future or from some alternate reality?  
  
"Captain Parker I am Thor supreme commander of the Asgard fleet. Commanding the Asgard vessel _Valkastner_," Thor responded. "I assure you that we have no hostile intentions. Your scan should have revealed that our shields are down and that our weapons systems are not powered." Parker glanced over at another Human around the same age as him. The other man nodded back.  
  
"Yes so I see. May I assume then that you are here to deliver relief supplies to the Tollan?"  
  
"That is correct. We are here on a mission of mercy at the request of our allies on Earth."  
  
"That would be us," Colonel O'Neill added coming to stand beside Thor.  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"Colonel Jack O'Neill commander of SG-1." 

"I am afraid that I am not familiar with that unit. Then again the ranking systems and units of the old Terran nation state militaries is not my thing. Even when alternate dimensions are concerned."  
  
"You are from another dimension?" Thor asked.  
  
"From a time three hundred and seventy-seven years in the future and in a different quantum universe to be exact." Sam Carter's eyes went wide as she heard that and she swapped looks of surprise with her teammates and Thor. This was something that they had not expected.  
  
"Then how did you come to be in this universe at this point in time?" Thor asked transdimensional travel was extremely unusual and the Asgard had encountered few instances of it in their long history.  
  
"That is very long story," Captain Parker admitted. "I will transfer you to my first officer shortly, she's co-ordinating the relief efforts on the planet below. On another note I would like to learn more about your people and culture. Seeking out and contacting new life forms is part of primary mandate. Perhaps you would like a tour of this vessel?"  
  
"I would enjoy such a meeting if I had the time. Unfortunately captain events in my home galaxy require my return as soon as I have dropped off these relief supplies."

"I am sorry to hear that," Darien replied. "I will transfer you to my first officer Commander Urlet now. It was a pleasure talking to you."  
  
"And to you captain." With that Captain Parker disappeared to be replaced by a humanoid alien unlike anything Thor or SG-1 had ever seen before. She was human for the most part but her skin was a pale blue, her hair was short chopped and white as snow and from her head protruded two small blue antennae.  
  
"Greetings," the alien said in a cool professional voice. "I am Commander Urlet. You have relief supplies for the Tollan?"  
  
"Yes," Thor responded. "I am not familiar with your species commander."  
  
"I am an Andorian," she replied. "You have not heard of us because in this universe Andoria Prime our homeworld does not exist."  
  
"Ah I see. Yes this ship and one of the two cargo ships with me carry relief supplies for the Tollan. The second cargo ship carries a new Stargate. If you will give us the coordinates for the area were you are storing the materials prior to distribution we will transport our cargoes there."  
  
"I will transmit the coordinates now."  
  
"Commander in addition we would like transporter coordinates to come over to your ship," Jack O'Neill said. "My superiors would like us to make formal contact with you."  
  
"Coordinates will not be necessary we've locked onto your life signs and will beam you over as soon as the transfer of relief supplies have been completed. I am sending the transport coordinates now." A side screen appeared showing coordinates.  
  
"Coordinates received," Thor said. "We will begin transport immediately."  
  
"Thank you. We will insure that those supplies reach those who most need them."  
  
"I am sure that you will."  
  
"_Resolution_ out." Commander Urlet disappeared from the screen. Thor turned to Colonel O'Neill and SG-1.  
  
"The transportation of the relief supplies will be completed shortly," Thor told his closest Human friends and his only Jaffa friend. "I have enjoyed seeing you all again."  
  
"The same here Thor," Jack responded. At that moment an alarm began sounding throughout the _Valkastner_. "What's that?"  
  
"A call to battle stations," Thor replied as the holoscreen reactivated showing an image of a bridge crewman who was speaking urgently. "Our long-range sensors have picked up a group of Goa'uld motherships approaching," Thor translated.  
  
"How many?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"Five Shalkra-class motherships." Teal'c did something that SG-1 had never seen him do before. He winced.  
  
"What is it Teal'c?" Daniel Jackson asked.  
  
"Shalkra-class motherships are among the most powerful the Goa'uld have," Teal'c said looking concerned. "Only the Rashka-class motherships like Apophis' destroyed flagship are stronger."  
  
"Five Shalkra-class motherships are a serious threat even to us," Thor added. "I do not know how the Tollan will survive another assault."  
  
"And if these ships belong to Tanneth's mysterious new master then they are going to be even more deadly than normal," Daniel said.  
  
"Shit. How long till they get here?"  
  
"Four minutes," Thor replied. Thor touched a communicator button on his chair and gave a set of orders in his native language. "I have ordered our shields to be raised and all weapons systems to be armed. Our transport ships have been ordered to retreat for now. I have ordered that we take up a defensive position over the planet."  
  
"What's the _Resolution_ doing?" Jack asked.

"They are powering weapons also and are raising shield…."  
  
"Thor?"  
  
"Somekind of armour is deploying over the _Resolution's_ hull," there was no mistaking the surprise in Thor's voice, "it's just appearing from key points along the length of the ship."  
  
"What about the Tok'ra vessels?" Sam asked.  
  
"They are dropping from hyperspace," Thor replied looking at the tactical hologram that had appeared. "And are cloaking themselves. Goa'uld ETA now three minutes twenty seconds."  
  
SG-1 turned their attention to the hologram. Of all of them only Daniel could read Asgard but they didn't need to be able to understand the symbols being displayed to see what was going on. The hologram was showing a simulation of five miniature red motherships travelling in hyperspace getting closer and closer to Tollana. They knew one thing.  
  
This was not good.


	7. Chapter Seven

****

Chapter Seven

USS Resolution

Red alert klaxons wailed and status panels pulsed blood red throughout the ship sending crewmembers hurrying to battle stations.

On the bridge Captain Darian Parker hid his nervousness as he sat in the command chair. They had counted five Goa'uld motherships inbound and while the _Resolution_ had easily handled one of them he wasn't sure how she would handle all five if they all attacked her at once. True the _Resolution_ had stronger shields and more powerful weapons than any ship currently in service in Starfleet – though that would change when the _Enterprise's_ repair/refit was completed in a month and her latest sister ship the _Hood_ was launched in six months – but she was only one ship and thus could be worn down by superior numbers.

He didn't really want to destroy the Goa'uld ships he'd only engaged Tanneth earlier because the Goa'uld had been firing on Tollana killing hundreds with every volley. A situation that no Federation captain could in good conscience permit to continue. But he would destroy the Goa'uld if they left him no choice. He hoped they would listen to reason but from what he'd learned of the Goa'uld so far they wouldn't know reason if it walked up and kicked them in the backside.

He kept his eyes on the view screen which was focused on the point where the Goa'uld task force was projected to come out of subspace. The patch of sky suddenly pulsed and distorted into a glowing anomaly, which quickly ejected the five massive motherships.

"Sir sensors are reading something strange about the Goa'uld ships," Lieutenant Commander Beech reported as the Goa'uld ships formed up and moved forward with arrogant confidence.

"What is it?" Commander Urlet asked right before Darian could voice the same questions.

"The sensors scans of these motherships do not match the one we defeated earlier," Beech reported. "There shields are a projected eighty percent stronger than Tanneth's and share many of the same characteristics as type seven and eight deflector shields."

"What about there weapons systems," Darian asked.

"Main weapons are phased energy cannons just like before but the readings are consistent with a simple form of disruptor cannon similar to the disruptors the Romulans used around the time of the Earth/Romulan war but energy levels are considerably greater. Torpedoes are the same plasma torpedoes as before. Though estimated blast yield per warhead is about ten percent greater than the warheads of the ones Tanneth fired at us. One on one they still wouldn't stand a chance against us our shields would still easily withstand their fire and our own weapons would quickly eat away their shields. But if they attack us in a group they could cause considerable damage to us." Beech's sensors bleeped for attention. "Sir there launching fighters."

Lieutenant Wu's console chirped at the same time.

"Sir the lead mothership is hailing us," Wu reported.

"On screen," Darian ordered guessing what was coming. Somehow he wasn't surprised when the face of Tanneth appeared on the view screen. The Goa'uld commander looking more confident and arrogant than he had at there last meeting if that was even possible.

**"I told you that I would be back Captain Parker,"** Tanneth said in a gloating tone. **"You should have destroyed me when you had the chance. Now I offer you a choice. Surrender your ship to me or I will take it. And kill every last member of your crew while you watch. And I wouldn't count on the Asgard ship being able to help you."  
**  
"Sir two of the Goa'uld motherships are breaking away and moving towards the Asgard ship. All five are launching fighter vessels. The other three motherships are targeting us," Lieutenant Commander Beech reported. Darien nodded in acknowledgement.

"Return the favour Mr Beech target them," he ordered. "Oh and Mr Beech lock onto Tanneth's ship first." Darian turned back to the view screen and the arrogant looking Goa'uld. Standing up from his command chair he moved towards the view screen.

"If I were you Tanneth I would get your facts straight before you go around threatening people," he said conversationally to the Goa'uld. "I do not need assistance from the Asgard to defend my ship. You haven't felt anywhere near our full firepower. I have weapons designed to destroy ships that are a lot bigger and a lot nastier then yours. Because I am a nice guy I'm going to give you one last chance. You can either turn your ships around and leave now or you can stay and be destroyed. The choice is yours."

As Darien spoke he saw a momentarily flicker of uncertainty pass across Tanneth's face as the Goa'uld took in the calmly spoken words. Then the Goa'uld's arrogance returned full force.

**"I will not deny that your weapons are powerful,"** Tanneth answered. **"But even with them you are no match for a fleet of enhanced Shalkra-class motherships. Surrender Captain Parker or face my wrath."**

"Fire one shot Tanneth and I guarantee you it will be the last thing you ever do," Darien answered. Tanneth shook his head.

**"You are a fool to defy me captain. Now you shall take the consequences. Kree Jaffa."** Tanneth's face disappeared from the view screen. Darian sighed to himself saddened slightly by what was coming but knowing he'd done all he could to avoid it. Tanneth's foolishness and arrogance was about to get him killed.

He moved back to his command chair and sat down as the three motherships entered weapons range.

Tanneth fired first sending a stream of bright gold disruptor blasts from one of his ships main cannons streaking across space towards the _Resolution_. The blasts impacted the forward shields, which glowed a soft blue around the points of impact hardly bothered by the assault. The ship shuddered slightly.

The other two motherships fired in unison with each other sending streams of there own into the _Resolution's_ shields lighting up sections of the outermost layer of the shields and shaking the ship but doing no damage.

Meanwhile the two motherships that had broken away towards the _Valkastner_ opened fire on the Asgard battlecruiser sending streams of disruptor fire and volleys of plasma torpedoes into its shields. The Asgard ship returned fire immediately sending whitish blue energy beams into the Goa'uld shields.

As the _Resolution_ shuddered under the assault from Tanneth Darian spoke in a calm collected voice. The battle hardened warrior in him coming to the fore.

"Ensign Mills put us on course for Tanneth's mothership full impulse. Mr Beech do you have a target lock on Tanneth's ship."

"Yes sir."

"Then open fire."

"Aye sir."

The _Resolution_ burst into motion heading straight for Tanneth's ship. The three Goa'uld ships began firing volley after volley from the main and secondary cannons lighting up her shields as she closed but doing no damage. Then the _Resolution_ fired back. A full power phaser blast streaked from one of the forward phaser strips to smash into Tanneth's ship. The shields around Tanneth's vessel lit up a bright blue as they absorbed the phasers fury and the mothership visibly shuddered. A second phaser blast followed immediately and the shields shaded into the red area of the spectrum as they struggled against beams power. A salvo of three photon torpedoes followed. The first two demolished what was left of the shields on Tanneth's ship. The third slammed into the hull to demolish a large section of the ships outer ring.

Beech didn't let up even as Tanneth's ship staggered back in space from the force of the blast gas and debris spewing from the massive burning hole in its side. A full power phaser beam tore into the mothership ripping straight through the armour and intervening decks to shoot out the other side of the ship. The doomed mothership seemed to collapse in upon itself for a moment before a forth phaser beam slammed into it and the mothership blew apart vanishing in a tremendous explosion of plasma and energy.

The _Resolution_ flew right through the cloud her shields effortlessly punting away the few small pieces of debris from the destroyed mothership. As she passed between the two remaining ships her port and starboard phasers fired repeatedly sending powerful but short bursts into the shields of the two ships making them light up like miniature nova's as they struggled to withstand the assault. Some beams even partially penetrated to slice deep burning gashes in the hulls of the vessels. But the _Resolution_ didn't have it all her own way. Both motherships fired repeated disruptor shots at her from both primary and secondary guns as she flew past lighting up her shields and as she pulled away from them one sent a pair of plasma torpedoes slamming into her aft shield.

"Damage report," Darian ordered as the deck shuddered under him.

"Shields are holding at ninety percent regeneration in progress," Beech reported.

"No damage to ships systems captain," Wu added. The two motherships rounded in space and fired volleys of both disruptors and plasma torpedoes at the _Resolution_. Simultaneously a wing of gliders came in strafing them with twin streams of disruptor pulses. Both groups of Jaffa now firing in fury and outrage at the death of one of their gods.

The _Resolution_ rocked violently under the impact.

"Shields at eighty percent," Beech reported.

"Attack pattern Alpha One. Mr Beech use the phasers to take out those fighters. Quantum torpedoes for the motherships."

"Aye sir."

The _Resolution_ came around sharply to face the two motherships and the swarm of gliders. Phaser arrays opened up sending out multiple short bursts each one striking and destroying a glider. Simultaneously four quantum torpedoes streaked out from the launcher on the underside of the saucer section. Two torpedoes streaking towards each mothership.

The torpedoes impact the motherships almost instantly and the two warships disappeared completely in the blue white flashes of the massive zero point energy release created by the detonation of the torpedo warheads. When the glare faded all that was left of the two motherships was a plume of plasma and debris.

Darian observed the destruction of the two motherships with a faint hint of sadness. He hated having to kill like this but the Goa'uld hadn't given him a choice as something told him that even if he disabled there weapons they would just retreat and return later with more ships.

"How is the Asgard ship doing," he asked at last even as gliders continued to die beneath the terrible relentless fire of the _Resolution's_ phasers. The few surviving gliders pulled back trying to break off and regroup their shattered formations. But they were still well within range of the _Resolution's_ phasers and continued to know it as glider after glider was turned to plasma by even a light graze from one of the lethal orange beams.

"They appear to be holding their own sir," Wu reported. "The Asgard shields are holding and there hitting the Goa'uld back hard. Both motherships have taken heavy shield damage but are continuing to fight."

"Who are these Goa'uld that they'll fight to the end," Urlet asked of no one in particular.

"Fanatic's with a god complex I think," Darian answered. "And there is only one way to deal with a fanatic unfortunately. Ensign Mill's put us on course for the last two motherships."

"Aye, sir."

"Mr Beech destroy them as soon as we are within range."

"Aye sir."

The _Resolution_ turned away from the decimated swarm of gliders and began advancing towards the two remaining motherships, which were engaged in a viscous firefight with the _Valkastner_. The few surviving gliders pursued their Jaffa pilots charging towards the Federation vessel with fanatical determination to destroy her. But the _Resolution_ was way too fast for them and the gap between them got ever wider.

As the _Resolution_ closed on the two remaining motherships one ship took another blast from the _Valkastner_ and its shields collapsed. An instant later a beam from the Asgard ship struck the unshielded vessel and the ship literally began glowing brilliantly before dissolving into a plume of plasma and dust.

"What was that," Darian asked observing the destruction in surprise. The blue-white beams the Asgard ship was firing didn't look like anything he'd ever seen before. Certainly they weren't phasers or disruptors or any beam weapon he was familiar with.

"The Asgard weapons appear to be a form of subatomic disintegration beam. Anything the beam hits simply dissolves into its component elements," Wu reported. "Very powerful and efficient."

As Wu spoke they reached phaser range and Beech opened fire on the remaining mothership. The phaser beams ripped into the mothership almost completely ignoring its weakened shields to blast away massive chunks of the vessel. One beam went right through the top of the central pyramid destroying the bridge area. The second beam also hit the pyramid and blasted almost completely through only the fact that the ships shields absorbed part of the beam powers preventing it going right through the ship. Its bridge gone the Goa'uld warship veered wildly out of control right before a blast from the Asgard tore into it ignoring the collapsing shields. In an instant the mothership suffered the same fate as its predecessor.

The Asgard warship turned away from the dispersing clouds of dust and moved towards the _Resolution_ before firing over the top of her destroying the last five Goa'uld death gliders.

"Stand down from red alert," Darien ordered. "Any damage Mr Wu?"  
  
"Negative sir." The operations console chirped. "Sir the Asgard ship is hailing us."  
  
"On screen." Thor appeared on the screen. A thin haze of smoke was visible in the air behind him but other than that he seemed all right. "Commander Thor are you alright?"  
  
"Perfectly captain. Our damage is minor. Automatic systems are already repairing it. Your ship is impressive captain a truly formidable vessel of war."

"I am quiet proud of her," Darien admitted. "But Thor this ship was not built strictly as a warship. Though we are heavily armed our primary mandate is exploration. Whenever possible we avoid combat as we respect sentient life regarding it as the most valuable thing in the universe. Though as you've just seen we can easily defend ourselves should the need arise."

"Avoiding unnecessary combat is a sign of great maturity," Thor replied. "As is respecting life in its many forms. It is a pity that we do not have time for a more thorough exchange of knowledge and philosophy. I imagine that we could learn much from each other. I have called our cargo ships back. They will be here in a minute. We will have to proceed with the relief supply transfer with as much speed as possible."  
  
"We could give each other a copy of our respective databases," Darien suggested. Thor seemed to consider.  
  
"Indeed we could," the Asgard agreed. "It will at least give us a good framework of trust for our future interactions."  
  
"I will have my operations officer set up a data link between us."  
  
"I will have mine do the same," Thor agreed. "The transfer can take place while we are in the process of transferring the relief supplies agreed?"  
  
"Agreed."  
  
"I look forward to our future meetings captain," Thor said finally.  
  
"As do I Thor." The Asgard nodded then his image disappeared. "Lieutenant Wu set up a data link between us as the _Valkastner_. Transfer a complete copy of our database to the Asgard and prepare to receive a copy of theirs."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"Sir those Goa'uld cargo ships are decloaking now. The lead ship is hailing us they want to talk about delivery of supplies," Beech reported.  
  
"Patch it through to my station Mr Beech," Commander Urlet ordered.  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"Captain the two Asgard cargo ships are back," Wu reported. "Data link with the _Valkastner's_ main computer has been established. Beginning data exchange."  
  
"Are SG-1 ready for transport over?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Transfer the co-ordinates to transporter room two. I'll go down and meet them."  
  
"Aye, sir. Sir we are being hailed by the surface. High Chancellor Travell is asking if it would be possible to come aboard for a tour and diplomatic discussion."  
  
"Of course. We'll bring her aboard just after we bring SG-1 aboard."  
  
"Aye sir I will advise her."  
  
"Sir transfer of supplies from the Asgard ships to cargo bays one and two is beginning. Supplies being transferred from the Goa'uld cargo ships is being transferred into cargo bays three and four," Commander Urlet reported. "Sir one of the things the Asgard have transported over is a large metal ring. Metal element unknown. A smaller device has been transported over also."  
  
"That must be the Stargate they were on about. Lieutenant Rakan get as many detailed scans of it as you can prior to its transport down to the surface of Tollana."  
  
"Aye sir."  
  
"You have the bridge commander. I'll be in transporter room two."  
  
"Aye sir."

**

* * *

**

Transporter Room Two

Chief Petty Officer Reiger looked up as the doors to the transporter room opened. Then stiffened slightly as Captain Parker came through.  
  
"I have the transport co-ordinates for both SG-1 and High Chancellor Travell's party sir," she reported.  
  
"Good bring SG-1 aboard first. The Asgard ships are empty of supplies now and are anxious to leave."  
  
"Aye sir energising."  
  
Four of the transporter pads lit up and SG-1 appeared in a shimmering of silver-white light. Darien studied them as they appeared. They were an interesting bunch. He recognised Colonel O'Neill immediately but the rest he didn't know their names. One was slightly shorter than O'Neill wearing spectacles and had a distinct academic air around him - despite his dress it was obvious that he wasn't a soldier. The female of the group was quiet attractive with blond hair and an air of great intelligence about her - she was around the same height as Colonel O'Neill. The forth member of the group was a very tall dark skinned man who was just as big as he was. He was bald had a serious expression on his face and a strange gold snake symbol on his forehead.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill," Darien said stepping forward and holding out his hand hoping that Humans in this universe did handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship _Resolution_. I'm Captain Parker."  
  
"Colonel Jack O'Neill," Jack replied shaking the younger mans hand all the while sizing him up. His first thought when he saw Captain Parker up close was _damn he's big._ Easily as big as Teal'c, he obviously took physical exercise very seriously indeed. He was also young but there was hardness in him that you would only find in a combat veteran. Yet in his grey eyes there was tenderness and a kindness that you wouldn't normally see in a combat veteran. It was an intriguing contradiction. It matched the ship herself. A ship seemingly built for peaceful exploration purposes yet which had stronger defences and more powerful weapons than most dedicated warships. "This is the rest of my team. Doctor Daniel Jackson. Major Samantha Carter and Teal'c." Darien shook each of their hands in turn.  
  
"Can you step down from the transporter pad now please. We have another few guests to beam aboard." SG-1 did as they were told all the while wondering who these other guests were. "Ms Reiger energise."  
  
"Aye sir." All six transporter pads activated and six gleaming streams of matter started to take shape. "Sir four of the High Chancellor's entourage are carrying weapons. I'm disabling them now. Resuming transport."  
  
The transport resumed and High Chancellor Travell, Narim and four Tollan security guards appeared on the pads. Both Travell and Narim blinked startled when they saw SG-1.  
  
"High Chancellor Travell," Darien said stepped forward and giving the slight formal bow that the Tollan tended to use instead of handshakes. "Welcome aboard the Federation starship _Resolution_."  
  
"It is good to meet you in person at last captain. Thank you for agreeing to my request to come aboard."  
  
"It is no trouble," Darien assured her. "I was expecting your request ages ago. But you should have told me your guards were going to bring weapons. I would have told you to leave the weapons behind. As it is you're weapons have now been disabled." He turned to SG-1. "The same is true of your weapons Colonel O'Neill." Both Travell and Colonel O'Neill nodded in understanding. Travell turned to Colonel O'Neill.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill," she said. "I am glad to see you again. I hope you can forgive my behaviour at our last meeting."  
  
"We can forgive you your eminence," Daniel Jackson said. "You've already paid the price for dealing with the devil. Us being angry with you serves no purpose except to cause more misery and pain to the Tollan people. Had we wished your people harm we would have not brought you the relief supplies or asked the Asgard and Tok'ra for assistance." Travell bowed her head slightly.  
  
"The Curia thanks you for your understanding. We are going to need your help in the months to come. Especially for food with winter coming. Our hydroponics facilities are gone. It will take months to restart them. And without the weather control grid it's going to get very cold on Tollana."  
  
"We can help their High Chancellor," Darien said. "We have an industrial replicator on board."  
  
"Replicators," Jack said. "You don't mean little mechanical bugs that run around devouring ships and making Asgard lives a misery."  
  
"No. When I say replicator or replicators I mean machines that can manufacture just about anything from clothing to food and weapons. As I was saying High Chancellor we can manufacture replacement hydroponics parts for you. Just give us the specs you want and we'll manufacture them. We can have your hydroponics plants back up and running in a week or two. I can't help with the weather control grid we don't have the proper materials on hand for that. Replicators do have some limitations."  
  
"That would be very generous of you. It would help allot."  
  
"It is no problem High Chancellor. Helping people in need is part of Starfleet's charter. That's why we helped you when Tanneth was attacking your planet the first time."  
  
"Speaking of Tanneth I owe you a debt of honour," Teal'c said. "For killing Tanneth. If there is anything I can ever do for you do not hesitate to ask."  
  
"I'll remember that Teal'c," Darien said. "Now if you will all come with me please. I have much to show you."


	8. Chapter Eight

****

Destiny's Child

****

Chapter Eight

Goa'uld Alkesh

Orbiting Tollana

The two Jaffa sat intently at the controls of an Alkesh as it hung cloaked and so far undetected beneath the alien warship that had so easily bested a fleet of Shalkra-class motherships, killing one of their gods and slaughtering thousands of there fellow Jaffa.

If they looked out the Alkesh's view ports all they would see was the _Resolution_ filled space above them, looking sleek, powerful and at this close a range very intimidating. Quietly they probed the alien warship with the Alkesh's passive sensors – they didn't dare do an active scan since that could show through the cloak and give away there position. And if that happened the first they would know of it was when there sensors picked up an energy spike from the _Resolution_ right before a blast from one of her beam weapons blew them out of space.

**"Report Jaffa"** Osiris's voice commanded from behind them.** "Have the sensors revealed any information."**

Osiris's voice commanded from behind them. 

"Very little my lord" the most senior of the two Jaffa said respectfully. "We know the ships full size and baseline energy output but that is all so far."

"What is causing the delay. The longer we remain here the greater the risk of detection becomes."

"Our scans are being partially blocked my lord."

"How"

"The Federation ship is constantly generating a low level energy field of some kind that is partially scattering our scans. Those scan signals that do get through are being blocked by the ships hull."

"Recalibrate sensors to compensate."

"We are attempting do so my lord."

**"For your sake you had better succeed"** Osiris said in a quiet dangerous tone of voice that made both Jaffa shudder in fear. Neither fancied feeling the wrath of a god so they moved about their task with renewed urgency.

**

* * *

U.S.S Resolution **

Captain Darien Parker led his guests into the engine room of the _Resolution_. His guests had been very impressed with what he had shown them of his ship so far. He had taken them to only a few places including the bridge and some of the labs. Though he hadn't taken them to astrometrics as that would have disturbed Lieutenant Rakan.

"Wow" Samantha Carter said as she looked around the huge engineering room. Everything seemed to have its proper place and function. Status displays adorned many of the walls and a strange table like console seemed to be a prominent feature. Off to the side was a huge schematic of the vessel showing various moving streams of light. Looking at them she couldn't help but wonder what it signified. Did it show the power distribution throughout the ship? Or did they signify something else?

Before she could ask however her attention was grabbed by the most dominant feature of the room that seemed to transcend multiple levels. It was a massive cylinder that glowed and pulsed softly with a strange blue-white light. Two smaller cylinders branched off from halfway up its length and disappeared into slots in the bulkheads, the smaller cylinders glowed and pulsed with same blue-white light as the central cylinder. Clearly it was a power generator of somekind.

"What is it" she whispered in awe. Her teammates looked on quietly amused at the sight of Samantha Carter looking so awed. Looking to his left at the Tollan Colonel Jack O'Neill noticed that even they seemed to be impressed by the technology around them. Technology that seemed to be more advanced than the Tollan's own.

Watching them all Darien was quietly amused. They had been impressed by everything he had shown them of this ship so far, and now that they could see her heart and they all looked suitably awed.

"It's a warp core" Darien said at last. "It's the primary source of main power for the whole ship. Its not our only power source but it is the main one providing a total output of three thousand two hundred and thirty terawatts per minute. Though the current output is no where near that as we are not using any really power hungry systems at this point in time."

"That's an awful lot of power" Daniel Jackson commented.

"Indeed" Travell agreed. "Captain Parker what kind of generator is this warp core? A naquada enhanced fusion generator of somekind"

"No" a female voice said in answer. "It's a matter/antimatter reactor."

The sound of the woman's voice came like a jolt of electricity to the soul of Daniel Jackson. He turned in direction the voice had come from to see a beautiful, fit looking young woman in Starfleet uniform approaching. A woman who looked just like his beloved late wife Sha're.

"Sha're" he breathed in amazement even though intellectually he knew that the woman before him wasn't the woman whom he had loved with all his heart who had been taken from him by Apophis.

"Who is Sha're" the woman asked inclining her head slightly to look at Daniel. Daniel felt a stab of pain at the questioning look she was giving him. Sha're had looked at him in exactly the same way whenever she wondered what he was doing. Seeing the look in his friend's eyes Jack O'Neill put a comforting hand on his friend's arm. Teal'c and Sam looked on but left the support to O'Neill for although they were Daniel's friends it was O'Neill who had the closest bond to Daniel. It had been O'Neill who'd comforted him when he'd cried after Sha're – under the control of the Goa'uld Ammounet – had been killed by Teal'c to save Daniel's life. The three of them knew what would probably happen later back at the SGC. Daniel would probably go to his room on base, where he would almost certainly break down and cry.

"This is my chief engineer Lieutenant Jennifer Barrett" Darien said in introduction.

"I am pleased to meet you" Barrett said still a little uncomfortable at being called the chief engineer. The title still felt uncomfortable to her especially so soon after Lieutenant Commander T'Lar's death. She glanced at the man who was still watching her but not seeing – she could tell that he was seeing someone else, someone who'd looked like her, who'd he obviously cared a great deal about judging by the look of remembered pain in his eyes. She had to admit he was quite handsome though he was wearing these funny glass lenses over his eyes – glasses she thought they were called. Her grandfather had worn them during his old age to read since he was allergic to the drugs that would have restored his vision to normal.

"Lieutenant you said that this was a matter-antimatter reactor" Travell questioned drawing everyone back into the here and now. She could see the nuances going on between SG-1 even though she didn't really know where they came from.

"That is correct" Lieutenant Barrett answered.

"I am curious how do you manage to control the reaction" Travell questioned. "My people have been trying to perfect antimatter reactor technology for centuries. But every time we try the reaction spirals out of control and results in an explosion."

"We use a crystalline element called dilithium to modulate the reaction. Most planets have small amounts of it in the crust and mantle. Larger deposits are not as common place but that's not important now. When dilithium is processed and purified it has the unique property of being able to control and harness the power of matter-antimatter mutual annihilation by converting the energy release into high energy plasma which we use as an energy source."

"Fascinating" Travell commented. "What about the radiation released during the reaction."

"The gamma and theta radiation released by the reaction is simply absorbed by devices we call radiometric converters. They transform the harmful radiation straight into electrical current which like the plasma is them fed into the ships EPS system."

"EPS system" Narim questioned.

"Electro plasma system. Basically energy is transferred around the ship in the form of a super-energised plasma its much more efficient than using cables to transfer power. And before you ask how the plasma is contained each conduit is made of a magnetic matrix material that creates a magnetic field bottle inside the conduit."

"Like a tokamak" Sam Carter said.

"Exactly. Like a tokamak in a fusion reactor."

"I am not familiar with the term tokamak Major Carter" Teal'c said before Narim or Travell could ask the same question.

"It's Russian" Daniel Jackson responded. "Literal translation is magnetic bottle."

"Captain Parker you said that this was your main source of power you have others" Travell asked.

"Yes. Some of our smaller ship classes mainly Defiant, Akira, Sabre, Nova, Prometheus and Intrepid rely almost entirely on their warp cores for main power" Darien answered. "But with a ship the size of the _Resolution_ indeed any ship above Excelsior-class it's just not feasible to rely entirely on the warp core. No matter how advanced the generator is a matter/antimatter reaction can only produce so much power.

"To supplement our power generation there are four fusion generators on deck twelve each one on its own produces a hundred terawatts of power" Darien continued. "In addition there are also microfusion generators on each deck designed to serve as a source of emergency power in addition to the reserve banks."

"You have an immense energy reserve available to you then."

"Yes."

"What's it all used for" Sam Carter asked. "Your weapon systems, armour and shields"

"No" Lieutenant Barrett replied emphatically.

"As I said to Thor earlier the _Resolution_ is not primarily a warship. Though its true we do carry enough firepower to pulverise a planet" Darien told his guests. "The Federation is an organisation that is dedicated to peace not war. This ships primary mission – as with most Starfleet ships – is to seek our new worlds and to explore space. We desire above all else contact with new civilisations to expand upon our knowledge of the galaxy and the diversity of life that exists within it. We view war as a tragic waste of the most precious thing in the universe – intelligent life and that it is something to be avoided wherever possible. Sadly we learned long ago that many races are not so enlightened and seek dominion over others."

"Sadly that is often the case" Travell agreed. "What is this Federation you speak of"

"The United Federation of Planets. It is the most extraordinary galactic union ever formed. A hundred and fifty-one races joined together for mutual cultural, social, scientific and defensive benefits. The Federation was founded three hundred years ago during the legendary journeys of Captain Archer and the first _Enterprise_. It was begun by Humans and Vulcans but that does not mean either of us hold any special influence over the Federation council. Our voices like that of all the other races are equal. No one group has any special influence over another. For example a few years ago a relatively unadvanced civilisation joined the Federation – the only conditions we set on Federation entry are you must be capable of individual interstellar flight and must accept that all sentient races are equal – they are given equal voice with even the oldest member races. A uniform system of laws is enforced across Federation space to ensure fairness and justice and no member race may keep an individual military force to threaten others – they may have a home defence force but nothing more. The only real military force in the Federation is Starfleet and our duties extend far beyond simply keeping the peace."

For a few moments SG-1 and the Tollan were silent. The Federation sounded like a paradise – a dream of harmony, tolerance and unity that was worth aspiring to. A society that embraced difference that welcomed others regardless of what they looked like or what they believed.

"You are right the Federation does sound extraordinary" Travell said after a few moments. "Like a paradise."

"The Federation is a paradise. But not a perfect one. Nothing is ever perfect."

"How very true" Jack agreed.

"Shall we move on from here" Darien asked. SG-1 and the Tollan delegation looked at each other then nodded. "Then come with m…"

"Astrometrics to Captain Parker" Lieutenant Rakan's voice said over the intercom interrupting him. Darien sighed. Now what. He tapped his combadge.

"Yes lieutenant."

"Sorry to disturb you captain but I was running a tachyon sweep of the surrounding space and I've found something. A small vessel is shadowing us using a cloaking device similar to those the Klingons employed on the old D7-class battlecruisers."

"Can you identify it"

"It's definitely Goa'uld around the same size as a cargo ship. But it's armed."

"Sounds like an Alkesh" Jack said. Darien threw him a curious glance.

"Alkesh are midrange bombers" Teal'c explained. "They are frequently used as scout ships and watch ships by the Goa'uld. It appears Tanneth's master has decided to try and keep an eye on you. Possibly to determine your weaknesses. You've been directly responsible for the destruction of three motherships and partially responsible for the destruction of two more. He will not rest until he destroys you in turn."

"Lieutenant do they know that we have detected them" Darien asked.

"Negative sir. They're not moving to escape or anything."

"Feed the coordinates to tactical."

"Aye sir." Darien sighed off then called the bridge.

"Beech here sir" the voice of the tactical/security officer responded.

"Commander theirs a small cloaked vessel shadowing us. Are our tractor beams capable of carrying an energy dissipater pulse"

"Yes sir."

"Lock a tractor beam onto that vessel and disable it. Beam to occupants directly to the brig. Bring the ship into the main shuttle bay for examination."

"Aye sir. Engaging now."

**

* * *

Goa'uld Alkesh **

Osiris was getting very impatient for the Jaffa to finish recalilbrating there sensors to try and scan the _Resolution_ more thoroughly without the crew of the Federation warship detecting and summarily destroying them.

**"Status report Jaffa"** Osiris demanded

Before either of the two Jaffa could answer a light grew between them and the _Resolution_ and abruptly the Alkesh jerked violently.

"My lord the _Resolution's_ locked onto us with somekind of tractor beam" the senior Jaffa reported.

**"I can see that break us free immediately,"** Osiris ordered. Before either Jaffa could carry out Osiris' command a light seemed to come through the hull sending crackling arcs of somekind of energy all over the interior of the Alkesh. Immediately the main lights went dead, as did all the controls. **"Report."**

"I don't know my lord. Somehow the Federation ship is dampening and disrupting all our power." Osiris frowned but before he could issue an order a strange tingling sensation filled his host body and the world faded away in a haze of silver white light.

And then turned into a grey walled room aside from a single open space. And beyond it stood a group of the Federation humans and a human like alien with pointed ears pointing weapons at him. And suddenly Osiris understood what had happened. The Federation had the same transporter technology as the Asgard.

**"You dare to capture a god" **Osiris thundered at them. Eyes glowing in anger Osiris started to walk forward.

Only to slam into a force field that sent his female host body flying backward into the bed in this small grey walled room.

**"Release me at once"** Osiris thundered**. "And I might let you die relatively painlessly."**

**"Logically you are in no position to threaten anyone" **the pointed eared alien said in a cool emotionless voice

**"Insolence. Release me now."** Enraged Osiris started to raise his hand device and tried to activate it.

Nothing happened.

**"What"**

**"You're technology has been disabled you can't hurt us"** one of the humans said.

**"You will die a thousand painful deaths for this."**

**"Oh shut up"** one of the human security officers said and fired at her the beam passing through the force field as if it weren't there. The beam struck Osiris who flew backwards and then crumpled unconscious from the phaser hit.

**

* * *

**

**Main Engineering**

**Moments Earlier**

"We have the ship sir. The occupants are safely secured in the brig" Lieutenant Commander Beech's voice said over Darien's combadge.

"Excellent commander thank you." Beech signed off. Darien turned to Lieutenant Barrett who was still hanging around. "Lieutenant take a team to the main shuttle bay and examine that craft."

"Aye sir." Darien turned to his guests who'd been watching quietly.

"Well shall we go and meet our new guests"


	9. Chapter Nine

****

Chapter Nine

Captain Darien Parker led his guests out of the main engineering section and into the corridors of the _Resolution_ towards the brig where their new guests would be waiting. As he walked through the corridors of his ship Darien wondered if the Goa'uld would ever leave his ship alone. If they didn't bother him he wouldn't really bother them, unless they gave him good reason to do so.

But somehow he suspected that that would not be the case, that now that the Goa'uld knew of the _Resolution's_ existence they would come after her to steal her secrets. When he had been onboard earlier Narim had told him a few things about the ways of the Goa'uld System Lords. And what he had heard about them was not encouraging. From what he had seen and what Narim had told him he could tell that the Goa'uld were arrogant, mildly xenophobic, and had a god complex and ego as big as the galactic core. From how Narim had described them the Goa'uld sounded like evil incarnate but Darien wasn't sure he quite believed that yet. Considering that the Goa'uld had been ruthlessly bombarding the Tollan homeworld from space he had to take what the Tollan had told him about the Goa'uld with a pinch of salt. Though the fact that they had been bombarding the planet at all was not a good sign.

And then there was the matter of the Jaffa. In addition to the bridge, some of the labs and engineering one of the places Darien had taken his guests was the sickbay. Dr Tarses had taken the opportunity to scan there guests and confirmed that indeed Teal'c species the Jaffa were indeed descended from Humans. Teal'c had filled in some of the gaps afterwards by explaining how the Goa'uld had taken Humans from Earth thousands of years ago and genetically altered some of them so they became the Jaffa. A race that could serve as foot soldiers and living incubators for larval Goa'uld. The thing with the Jaffa kind of reminded Darien of how the Founders had specifically created a race the Jem'Hadar to serve as soldiers for the Dominion. And the Goa'uld used the Jaffa in a similar manner to the Jem'Hadar. To maintain and expand Goa'uld power in the galaxy through intimidation and fear.

"Tell me a little bit more about the Goa'uld," Darien said. "Are they all evil."

"Almost all of them," Samantha Carter replied. "There is a small group of Goa'uld – a few thousand or so – who believe completely differently to the rest of their kind and are dedicated to the destruction of the System Lords. They are almost all the children so to speak of the Goa'uld Queen Ejuria who did not agree with the ways of the System Lords. Though one or two are other Goa'uld who also disagreed and joined Ejuria's cause on there own. This group is called the Tok'ra. Six of the relief ships were manned by Tok'ra pilots."

"The Tok'ra do not believe in taking hosts by force," Teal'c added. "Any blending done with a host is almost always voluntary. There have been instances where Tok'ra symbiotes have occasionally taken hosts without permission but such instances are rare and only done under very extreme conditions and with good reasons. While the symbiotes can and occasionally do control the host, control is always relinquished. In addition a symbiote will give its life if it would save the life of the host. A good example of this is Jolinar."

"Jolinar," Darien questioned.

"Jolinar was a Tok'ra symbiote that was blended with me for a short time three years ago," Sam said. "When we were attacked by a Goa'uld assassin or Ashrak sent to kill Jolinar by the System Lords Jolinar deliberately took the full force of the Ashrak's assassination/torture weapon on herself to protect me. Normally when a symbiote dies inside a host the symbiote will release a very potent neurotoxin that will kill the host within minutes. Jolinar consciously prevented herself from doing this."

"For which everyone is grateful," Narim added. _Especially me,_ he thought thinking about his long-standing feelings for Samantha. If she had only been Tollan he was sure he would have married her by now.

"I see," Darien replied. "That must have been a hard thing for you to go through major especially when Jolinar gave herself to save you."

"It was," Sam admitted remembering the grief and loss she had felt after Jolinar died to save her life. Even after three years she still missed Jolinar.

"Captain Parker might I make an observation," Travell asked.

"Of course High Chancellor," Darien replied.

"You don't seem surprised about the idea of symbiotic relationship between a humanoid and a non-humanoid life form." SG-1 nodded in agreement with Travell. They to had noticed that the people on this ship didn't bat an eye about the idea of symbiosis whereas for them the prospect of sharing there body with another being like a Tok'ra or having it hijacked by a Goa'uld was distasteful to say the least.

"That's because I'm not," Darien replied. "In the centuries that have passed since the people of Earth in my reality went out into space we have encountered a number of instances were two separate species live in symbiosis with each other. There is in fact a member of such a race on board this ship."

"There is," Sam asked curious.

"Yes. My head science officer Lieutenant Tras Rakan is a joined Trill."

"Joined? You mean this Lieutenant Rakan has another being living inside of him or her," Travell asked.

"Yes. Trill is a class-M planet about two hundred light years from Earth. There are two sentient species on that planet. The humanoid Trill and another non-humanoid race that lives primarily in underground geothermal pools of sulphurous mud and water, this non-humanoid life form appears slug-like and is extremely intelligent and long lived. Over millions of years the humanoid Trill and the symbiotes – the species does not have a specific name though all individual members have names – have evolved the ability to join with one another through a specialised orifice that the humanoid Trill have in the abdomen. Once joined the symbiote and host become biologically interdependent for the duration of the host's natural life. When the host dies - the symbiote is removed and placed in a new host, the new host then gains the memories and knowledge of the pervious host or hosts, and the symbiotes own knowledge. For example Lieutenant Rakan is the forth host for the symbiote Rakan. The humanoid part Tras Jurlur is twenty-nine, the symbiote Rakan however is two hundred and seventy-nine. When combined Tras Rakan has the combined knowledge of three hundred and eight years."

"Why does the name change when a symbiote and host join," Sam asked listening in fascination to the description of the Trill.

"Tradition. When a symbiote joins with a host the hosts family name is replaced by the symbiotes name."

"Can all Trills be joined?" Daniel asked.

"Physically yes but psychologically no. Joining is an immense psychological shock for the individual because it's suddenly like they have other people inside them. Also during the joining the symbiote and hosts minds intermingle become as one. Only psychologically strong individuals can go through a joining safely, a weak host could go insane it has happened in the past. There are also only a few symbiotes available at any one time – the symbiotes don't breed quickly. So the Trill government has a strict regulatory body that governs joining. They test and train all those Trills who wish to be joined and assign symbiotes when a symbiote becomes available."

"Interesting. Can the Trill symbiotes be implanted in other species?" Narim asked.

"Not safely though it can be done," Darien replied. "The immune systems of the Trill are very different to the immune systems of other humanoids and has evolved to include the possibility of joining with a symbiote. If a symbiote is placed in a host that isn't a Trill then it will immediately be attacked by the hosts immune system."

"So the symbiotes and Trills can only bond with each other," Sam said.

"Yes. Though symbiotes can also bond with Trill/Human hybrids though that does not happen often."

They arrived outside the brig at that moment. After keying in his access code into the door control panel Darien led his guests inside. The first thing they saw was a large console desk and beyond it was a wide corridor leading lined with doors. Beyond each door there would be a large room that was literally split in two into an outer guard chamber and a cell.

Two security guards manned the outer desk with Lieutenant Commander Christopher Beech standing behind them waiting patiently for his commanding officer to arrive.

"Mr Beech how are our guests doing," Darien asked walking up. "Any problems?"

"Not really sir," Beech reported. "They were easily contained. They seemed pretty shocked by what had happened to them. The female Goa'uld did give my people some lip about making us pay for our insolence. Ensign James ended up stunning her for a bit of peace and quiet. But judging from the last report from Ensign James the Goa'uld's woken up. And is not happy."

"Then we better go a see her maybe convince her to be a little more co-operative."

"Fat chance of that with a Goa'uld," Daniel pointed out. "All arrogance and bluster they are. Listening is not one of their better skills."

"Perhaps but this Goa'uld is a prisoner on my ship. If she doesn't co-operate then maybe a couple of days in the brig with only basic food and water provision will convince her."

"There are other ways to make a Goa'uld co-operate," Teal'c pointed out helpfully. "One way is to insult their egos. Make them look completely foolish. They will often then tell you what you want to know just to make themselves seem more powerful. Arrogance and overconfidence are the greatest weaknesses of the Goa'uld." Darien chuckled slightly.

"They sound a bit like the Borg in that respect. Your advice is noted Teal'c."

Darien led his guests into the cell room where their Goa'uld prisoner was being held. Lieutenant Commander Beech accompanied them keeping a watchful protective gaze upon his captain. Gasps of surprise escaped SG-1 as they recognised the Goa'uld sitting on the other side of force field looking more than a little pissed at her current predicament.

The Goa'uld was Osiris.

Osiris noticed them at the same time and sneered at them. Especially at Daniel Jackson, he knew that Daniel Jackson had been close to his host. And he delighted in the knowledge that him controlling Sarah Gardner brought him suffering.

Darien walked calmly up to the edge of the force field. After a moment Osiris also stood up and eyed the big human facing him. _What an excellent host he would make,_ Osiris thought to himself eyeing the human's powerful muscular form, _a perfect specimen._

**"You are the commanding officer of this vessel,"** Osiris demanded though he already knew the answer.

"Yes," Darien responded. "Captain Darien Parker."

"I am the great god Osiris. If you release me now and beg forgiveness I might be willing to let you die relatively painlessly."

Darien almost laughed out loud at Osiris arrogance.

"You are not in any position to threaten anyone Osiris," he said. "And you are not a god you're just a pathetic alien symbiote with delusions of god hood." Osiris eyes glowed in anger.

"Heshak you will pay dearly for such insolence."

"Oh really. And how are you going to do that?" Darien asked. "Your technology and ship is disabled. Though your vessels weapons are way to primitive to do us any damage. Plus you're trapped behind a level four force field and even if you could get out of your cell this section is sealed off from the rest of the ship and security would be on you in seconds."

"There is no possibility of escape," Teal'c added quietly gleeful to see one of the false gods so stuck.

**"I do not hear the words of a shol'va,"** Osiris snapped**. "You will pay dearly for betraying your god Teal'c."**

Osiris snapped. 

"False god," Teal'c replied. "A dead false god." Osiris snarled at the renegade Jaffa who had began a rebellion among his kind that was now causing Goa'uld everywhere considerable headaches. Anubis intended to make an example of Teal'c whenever he could capture him. Anubis dared not go to the Tau'ri homeworld to get him. That would incur the wrath of the Asgard and that was something even Anubis wished to avoid.

After a moment glaring at the Jaffa Osiris turned her head to look back at Captain Parker.

**"What do you want?"** Osiris asked hoping to bargain his way out of this little predicament. Unlike most Goa'uld he was not averse to using diplomacy to get out of situations like this. Despite his posturing Osiris was at a disadvantage and he knew it.

"So the all powerful god is at a disadvantage," Sarah Gardner said from her prison at the back of Osiris' mind. _"Not so superior now are you Osiris."_

Sarah Gardner said from her prison at the back of Osiris' mind. 

**_"Silence human,"_** Osiris mentally told his host squeezing Sarah Gardner's captive thoughts to cause her pain. Inwardly he grinned when he heard his host's mental cry of pain.

Osiris mentally told his host squeezing Sarah Gardner's captive thoughts to cause her pain. Inwardly he grinned when he heard his host's mental cry of pain. 

"Information," Darien replied. "I want to know who sent you here and why you were spying upon my ship."

**"That is not for you to know human,"** Osiris immediately snapped automatically then paused and reconsidered.** "I will tell you what you wish to know but there is a price to pay."**

Osiris immediately snapped automatically then paused and reconsidered. 

"What kind of price," Jack O'Neill demanded a little surprised by Osiris' behaviour. He was being unusually reasonable for a Goa'uld.

**"In exchange for my information. I want information on all your defence and weapons technology,"** Osiris said

"No deal," Darien replied immediately. "We do not give technology to aggressive species." Travell, Narim and the Tollan blinked in surprise. That sounded very similar to their own technology transfer rules.

**"Then I will not help you."** Darien shrugged his barn door wide shoulders.

"Suit yourself," Darien replied. "I'll just get the information I want from your ships computer."

**"You won't be able to access it,"** Osiris said confidently

"Don't bet on it," Darien replied with a hint of smugness. "We have a lot of experience with alien computers and our technology is far more advanced than yours. The computer on your ship will be no obstacle to us." Osiris grimaced at that.

Something in the Humans voice told him that Captain Parker was right and that the security codes on the Alkesh's computer would not be an obstacle to this ship's technology. The breach in security that would result from them breaking the security codes would be very serious. In that computer was information on Anubis' current fleet movements, those planets currently under his control and their Stargate address. He had to stop that from happening. If he didn't then Anubis would have his head.

**"I am revising my offer,"** Osiris said at last

"Go on," Darien encouraged.

"I will give you the information you have asked for. In return I want my ship back unharmed and I wish safe passage off this vessel and out of this system."

Darien considered for a moment.

"Seems fair," he said he didn't add that Lieutenant Barrett would have scanned the Alkesh in detail already.

"Then we have a deal?"

"We do," Darien said. "If you will just wait a few minutes." He tapped his combadge. "Parker to Dalara."

"Yes sir?" the cool voice of the ships Betazoid councillor responded after a moment.

"Report to the brig I have need of your telepathic skills."

"I will be right there." Councillor Dalara signed off. Osiris listened intently to the conversation. The revelation that these people had telepaths on board was interesting. The Goa'uld had been hoping to induce telepathic abilities in their hosts for centuries to further strengthen their domination of the galaxy. When - inevitably - Anubis captured this ship Osiris would recommend to him that these telepaths be studied closely for clues as to what genes to use to induce telepathic ability.

* * *

Councillor Dalara came into the cell room a few minutes later. He was a short middle aged male Betazoid with the usual chocolate brown hair and pure black eyes of his kind. 

"You sent for me captain," he asked.

"Yes councillor. This prisoner is about to share some information with us I want you to insure that it is truthful."

"Of course." Dalara reached out mentally and touched the prisoner's thoughts and was immediately confused. There were two different thought patterns present - one dominant, the other suppressed by the dominant thoughts. Dalara focused on the dominant thoughts and was appalled by what he sensed. These creatures were parasites called the Goa'uld who took over Human bodies. Dalara put aside his disgust for now. He would speak with Captain Parker about it later. "You may begin sir."

"Osiris," Darien asked. "Who sent you here?"

**"I serve Anubis,"** Osiris replied reluctant to share the information but not really having a choice. He could feel the telepaths probe of his mind. It was powerful and was no doubt fully capable of taking the information if he refused to share it. **"He sent me here with Tanneth's battle group to monitor the battle and attempt to analyse your ship. In this I have met with no success as your navigational shielding blocks out passive sensor scans."**

Osiris replied reluctant to share the information but not really having a choice. He could feel the telepaths probe of his mind. It was powerful and was no doubt fully capable of taking the information if he refused to share it. 

"He's telling the truth sir," Dalara informed his captain shivering slightly as he read some of Osiris' surface thoughts without meaning to. They were disgusting containing thoughts and desires that would appal most civilised beings. He knew immediately that these Goa'uld were evil, pure evil. Far worse than the Borg could ever hope to be.

Abruptly Dalara felt the second neural pattern impinge upon him.

_"Help me," _it begged in a female voice. _"Get this thing out of me. Please."_

_"Who are you?" _Dalara asked mentally.

_"My name is Sarah Gardner. I'm Osiris' host. Please save me. I can't stand this hell. Please."_

_**"I told you to shut up human,"**_ Osiris mentally snapped as he ruthlessly inflicted tremendous pain upon the host thoughts.

_"Stop Osiris please. Arrgghh I'm sorry. Arrgghh." _Dalara flinched and pulled back from the alien thoughts in horror as he sensed the woman's intense pain. He would have to speak to Captain Parker urgently. They had to help this woman. They had to get rid of the demon Osiris.

All of this happened in a brief instant of time.

**"There I have given you the information that you requested,"** Osiris said.** "Now it is your turn Captain Parker."**

Osiris said. 

"Indeed it is," Darien agreed. "It will take sometime to reactivate your ships power systems. Until then you will remain here."

"Agreed."

Darien turned and left the room, followed by SG-1, the Tollan delegation, Commander Beech and Councillor Dalara. Once outside the cell room Dalara turned to his captain.

"Captain Parker we have to talk in private regarding a matter of some urgency." Darien caught the urgent note in the Betazoids voice.

"Very well." Darien turned to his guests. "I am afraid that we will have to end our tour a little earlier than I had planned."

"That is quiet all right captain. I believe I speak for myself and SG-1 when I say we have seen enough for now," Travell said. SG-1 nodded in reluctant agreement with Travell. Besides they should really get back to Earth and brief their superiors on the things they'd seen and heard since the moment the _Valkastner_ dropped out of hyperspace.

"Has the Stargate been transported down to the surface now," Jack asked as Darien led them out of the brig back into the rest of this incredible ship.

"I do not know," Darien admitted. "Hang on." He walked over to a computer terminal built into the wall and requested an update on the transfer of supplies to the surface of Tollana. "The Stargate and all the supplies we received from the Asgard ships have been transferred to the surface," he informed his guests. "The rest of the supplies are being beamed down as we speak."

"Excellent," Travell said. "Those supplies are desperately needed."

"And now that the Stargate is on the surface we can begin bringing more supplies and specialist rescue equipment through the Stargate," Daniel added.

"The rescue equipment is not necessary Doctor Jackson," Darien informed him. "We have already rescued the survivors trapped under the rubble. With our technology it was easy we simply beamed them out."

"For which we are very grateful," Travell said to Darien. "Colonel O'Neill we still need the other supplies however."

"Do not worry your eminence," Daniel assured her. "They will be delivered to you."

"If you do not mind we'll come back down to the surface with you," Jack said to Travell. "We have to return to Earth and brief our superiors at any rate."

"Of course colonel your people are always welcome on Tollana."

"Commander Beech escort our guests back to the transporter room," Darien ordered to his security chief/tactical officer.

"Aye sir follow me please."

Once Beech had left with their guests Darien turned to the Betazoid councillor who looked very agitated and angry about something. Darien hadn't know Selt Dalara long but in the time he had known him he had never seen the Betazoid in such a state.

"Let's go to my ready room councillor and you can tell me what the problem is."

"Yes sir. If you don't mind could we have Dr Tarses join us?" Darien frowned slight and Dalara picked up a sharp spike of curiosity from his commanding officer.

"Of course." Darien tapped his combadge. "Parker to Tarses report to my ready room."

"Aye sir," Simon Tarses responded.

"Come along Councillor," Darien said starting for the nearest turbolift. Dalara hurried to keep up with the muscular Humans longer strides.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

**Stargate Command**

**Cheyenne Mountain, Earth**

General George Hammond broke off the discussion he was having with the recently arrived Jacob Carter/Selmak and Major Davis when the incoming wormhole klaxon sounded.

"Unscheduled off world activation," a technician's voice boomed over the intercom system. George sighed. _Now what,_ he thought standing up from behind his desk and walking around before leaving his office heading for the control room with Jacob and Major Davis closely following him.

They reached the control room in moments just in time to see the iris opening giving them an almost unobstructed view of the shimmering water effect of the wormhole's event horizon. The only thing that blocked a full view of the wormhole was the defence teams that had mustered in the gate room.

For a moment nothing happened, then the event horizon rippled and SG-1 stepped through, the Stargate deactivating behind them.

"Howdy folks," Colonel O'Neill said with a small wave. Inwardly George smiled at the typical behaviour of his second in command even as he leaned forward and spoke into a microphone.

"Welcome back SG-1," he said in greeting. "Unit's stand down."

George stood back up straight and left to go into the gate room accompanied only by Jacob this time since Jacob was anxious to see his daughter. He hated being away but his duties with the Tok'ra meant that it was inevitable.

**_"You see her now more than you ever did before though Jacob,"_ **Selmak pointed out in his head.

_"True Selmak. Very true,"_ Jacob mentally agreed with his symbiote, _"being away all the time is still hard though. Even though Sam's a grown woman now and more than capable of looking after herself."_

_**"You still worry about her. That is as it should be."**_

Jacob smiled but broke off his internal chatter to his symbiote as they were entering the gate room just as SG-1 came to the bottom of the embarkation ramp. Jacob smile widened slightly when Samantha immediately broke away from the rest of her team and approached him. Gently he pulled her into a warm, loving hug.

"Sam its good to see you," Jacob said with a smile. Sam smiled back as she pulled away from him.

"It's good to see you to dad," she replied.

"Report SG-1," George Hammond ordered.

"We successfully made contact with the _Resolution_ sir," Sam said.

"I look forward to hearing all about it," Hammond replied. "Briefing room."

**

* * *

Captain's Ready Room**

**U.S.S Resolution, That Same Time**

Captain Darien Parker settled down behind his desk and made himself comfortable while keeping a watchful eye on his ships councillor. He could tell that Dalara was agitated and it didn't take a genius to figure out that it had something to do with there Goa'uld prisoner, he was sure as well that Osiris was the reason why Selt Dalara had asked to speak to both himself and Dr Tarses.

Before he could speak however the door chimed, someone was requesting admittance.

"Come in," Darien called. The doors opened with their normal almost inaudible swish and the Human/Romulan hybrid that served as his chief medical officer came into the room with a puzzled frown on his face. A face that was distinctively human Simon was three quarters human, the only give away that he wasn't a full human were his pointed ears.

"You asked to see me captain," Simon Tarses said.

"Yes doctor I did," Darien replied. "Or rather Councillor Dalara asked to see us both. Please be seated gentlemen." He watched quietly as his medical officer and ships councillor sat down in the two chairs on the other side of his desk. "Now then councillor what is it you wanted to speak with us about?"

"It's about Osiris sir," Dalara said. "Sir we can't let Osiris leave this ship in her current form."

"Explain."

Dalara took a deep, calming breath and then began his explanation. He explained about his mental contact with Sarah Gardner the Human host of Osiris, her plea for them to help her escape her unwilling bondage, the pain Osiris had ruthlessly inflicted upon her in response. He also detailed some of the horrific images of slaughter and torture that he had seen in Osiris' mind when he'd been asked to probe her.

"Sir in good conscience we cannot leave Sarah Gardner to endure any more of the torture she is currently enduring," Dalara concluded. "She has no will of her own Osiris has complete and total control of her body and mind. The closest analogy I can draw is to Borg assimilation. The psychological damage she is suffering alone is serious." Darien leaned back in his chair with a sigh. SG-1 and the Tollan had told him about the fate of Goa'uld hosts - but it was one thing to hear it from them, quiet another to hear it from Councillor Dalara - who was not the excitable kind and above all was unbiased, having no preconceived idea's about the Goa'uld.

"Doctor would it possible to remove Osiris from Sarah Gardner safely before Osiris can kill the host," Darien asked. "According to SG-1 and the Tollan the Goa'uld will kill a host rather than surrender it."

"I have been looking at the bioreadings we've been gathering on the Goa'uld and their Jaffa courtesy of the brigs bioscanners and my scan of Teal'c earlier," Simon Tarses responded. "I believe that it is possible to remove Osiris from her host quickly using the transporters. But she will have to be completely unconscious and immobile else we would risk brain damage to host and symbiote alike."

"Do we have any drugs here that could do that? From what SG-1 and the Tollan were telling me the Goa'uld symbiote's are extremely hardy things."

"Yes sir we do. My analysis of the body chemistry of the immature symbiote's the Jaffa are carrying and of Osiris herself indicates that they are unusually vulnerable to Tricolarine. Once exposed both symbiote and host will be unconscious in seconds."

"Tricolarine is a liquid based sedative is it not?" Darien asked.

"Yes sir it cannot be introduced through the environmental control system. It has to either be ingested or injected directly into the patients blood stream."

"So how are we going to get Osiris to take the drug?" Darien asked.

"Our prisoners are scheduled to have a meal at 1830 hours," Simon pointed out. "I can use my medical security codes to order the replicator to put Tricolarine in Osiris' drinking water."

"Do it. As soon as Osiris is unconscious transport her directly to sickbay. Remove the symbiote and place it in a secure sealed storage container otherwise Osiris will immediately jump into the closest available human host," Darien ordered.

"Yes sir."

**

* * *

Briefing Room**

**Stargate Command, A Short Time Later**

General George Hammond leaned back in his seat completely at a loss for words. SG-1 had completed briefing himself; Major Davis and Jacob Carter/Selmak on the events that had taken place over Tollana. Starting with their arrival aboard the _Valkastner_, to arrival of Tanneth's fleet and its subsequent quick destruction, to there visit to the _Resolution_ herself and the detection and capturing of Osiris. The Federation starship sounded like an utterly amazing ship and where she had seemed to come from was even more surprising – though it did serve to explain why no one in this galaxy or in the case of the Asgard in neighbouring galaxies had ever heard of the Federation.

"The _Resolution_ sounds like a very impressive warship," Major Davis commented. "Heavily armed and powerful with weapons unlike anything we have ever encountered."

"Oh yes she's powerful," Colonel O'Neill replied. "I think powerful would in fact be an understatement."

"The _Resolution_ seems to have a variety of different weapons systems," Sam added. "She's armed with both somekind of phased particle beam weapons that are much more powerful than anything we've seen this side of Asgard weapons, and she carries at least two kinds of torpedoes. One appears to use antimatter warheads. The other has somekind of zero-point energy warhead. Thor commented to us during the battle that those zero-point torpedoes would damage even Asgard warships. I don't know if the _Resolution_ has any other weapon systems but I would not be surprised if she did."

"And the irony of it all is despite her awesome firepower the _Resolution_ is not primarily designed to be a warship," Daniel said. "On our tour of the _Resolution_ with Travell, Narim and a couple of Travell's bodyguards we saw numerous labs of various kinds. Not what you would expect to see on a warship."

"Apparently the _Resolution_ is designed as a multirole starship," Sam added in agreement with Daniel. "According to Captain Parker her primary mission - as with most vessels in the Federation Starfleet - is to seek out new worlds, civilisations and to generally explore space. As Daniel said they are very well equipped for that role. Apparently the Federation is far more interested in science and exploration than in military conquest. Though as we saw their vessels can function as powerful and lethal warships should conflict arise."

"Though they are not aggressive the Federation peoples have the ability to inflict serious damage upon the Goa'uld. Possibly even defeat the collective forces of the System Lords," Teal'c said. "It is through them that we now know the name of Tanneth and Osiris master." Jacob - who'd been listening with silent attention to the whole discussion, leaned forward interested.

"Who is it?" he asked - the Tok'ra Council had been as stumped by the identity of this mysterious new Goa'uld as everyone else.

"It is a Goa'uld from the distant past," Teal'c replied. "According to Osiris he serves Anubis." Jacob's eyes widened and he went slightly pale at the mention of Anubis. Then his eyes flashed as Selmak took over.

**"That cannot be," **Selmak said. **"Anubis is dead."**

"Apparently not," Jack said sarcastically.

"Captain Parker had a telepathic alien scanning Osiris as he spoke," Sam added. "He was telling the truth."

"I take it you know Anubis," Hammond said to Teal'c and Jacob.

"Anubis is a legend. A name infamous among the Goa'uld," Teal'c said.

**"Anubis is a demon," **Selmak said. **"He is far, far more evil than any of the other System Lords. He was banished a thousand years ago because his crimes were unspeakable. Even the System Lords were appalled by his crimes. For them Ra summoned a meeting of the System Lords and Anubis was summoned before them and stripped of all rank and power, his slaves and Jaffa were all taken away, his fleet destroyed. He was allowed to keep one mothership and his personal Jaffa guard and a few loyal retainers, then he was banished from Goa'uld space never to return on pain of death.**

**"To ensure that he would never bother the System Lords again Ra dispatched an Ashrak to kill him. Though the Ashrak failed to return it was believed by both the System Lords and the Tok'ra that Anubis had perished."**

For along few minutes the briefing room was silent as everyone digested what Selmak had just said. Anubis would have had to have been a very evil Goa'uld indeed for his crimes to appal even the System Lords - who were themselves responsible for countless atrocities - and force them to actually take action against him.

"Well now Anubis is back," Jack said.

"And from what we've seen so far with more power than ever before," Sam added.

"The question is what does Anubis want," Daniel pointed out. "Why has he suddenly reappeared now after a thousand years of exile."

"Those are good questions," Jacob agreed. "Which we must all endeavour to find the answer to. One thing is sure the reason cannot be a good one. It is possible that Anubis may want to overthrow the System Lords and establish himself as the new Supreme System Lord - a position only Ra has held in nearly two thousand years."

"Which would be very bad," Jack added. "Who knows what would happen if the Goa'uld got their act together and stopped fighting amid themselves and turned their attention to the rest of the universe."

"A nightmare which we must all devote our resources to stopping. If the galaxy were to fall under the dominion of a single all powerful Goa'uld then all would be lost."

"It could be possible that the _Resolution_ holds the key to stopping Anubis," Teal'c pointed out. "But there may be a problem. Captain Parker's words to Osiris indicate that the Federation has similar rules to the Tollan regarding the transfer of technology to less advanced civilisations. We might have trouble convincing them to assist us in that fashion."

**"We will still have to try and convince them to help us against both Anubis and the System Lords,"** Selmak said. **"And possibly the Replicators as well."**

"All we can do is try," Daniel agreed. "But we shouldn't yet. They're currently stretching their resources to help the Tollan recover from Tanneth's assault. It would be advisable to wait for a few weeks until the Tollan are at least partially back on their feet."

For a couple of minutes there was silence as everyone considered Daniel's words. It did make sense. Tollana was in a hell of a mess at present - and the _Resolutions _crew had their hands full assisting the Tollan pick up the pieces, they could ask no more of them. Not yet at any rate.

"Agreed," Hammond said after a moment. "Now then SG-1 on to other matters like your participation in the upcoming trials for the next group of potential SGC personnel."

**

* * *

Brig**

**U.S.S _Resolution_**

Osiris looked up from his contemplation of the deck plates as he heard the sound of her current cell guard clearing his throat. The bald, blue-skinned humanoid guarding her cell was completely unfamiliar to him. The alien was holding a food tray.

"Your evening meal," the guard said pressing a series of buttons on a pad besides the force field. A circular hole - just big enough for the tray to pass through - appeared in the force field. Even the force fields on this amazing ship were unusual, they were radically different to Goa'uld force fields.

Osiris stood up and took the food tray from the guard when he handed it to him. The alien pressed those buttons again and the field was once more complete. Osiris eyed the food he'd been given. It consisted mainly of dark blue berries that he didn't recognise, runner beans with butter and potatoes. A small glass of water sat in a slot on one side. A plastic knife and fork sat on the other side. The meal definitely wasn't the fine stuff she was used to but it would do - after all he was no position to make any demands of the Federation people. They'd already agreed to let him go - when they could easily kill him or remove him from his host - so he wasn't about to push his luck.

Sitting down on the bed, resting the tray on his knees Osiris retrieved the fork and not very sharp knife from their slots. After a moment he cautiously placed one of the berries in his hosts mouth. Almost instantly in burst releasing a mushy fluid into her mouth - a fluid that was sweet and sour, sharp and soft, bitter and sweet. Swallowing the fluid Osiris glanced at the berries again. Whatever these things were they were nice. Osiris ripped into the rest of the meal with a vengeance. Everything was nice, perfect in fact. Osiris guessed that these people had to have a good chef or did they use their technology to somehow make the food. After a moment she took a long drink of the pleasantly cool water to wash the food down.

The guard came back to the edge of the force field and opened that hole again. Osiris gave the tray back and he resealed the hole before disappearing for a moment.

Osiris in the meantime returned to the bunk. As he sat down a strange wave of tiredness washed through him. _They've drugged me,_ he thought abruptly standing up and immediately dropping to his knees as they abruptly refused to take his weight. Darkness was encroaching upon his awareness and at the back of his thoughts Osiris could feel that Sarah Gardner was already asleep. The guard returned and Osiris looked up eyes glowing as he struggled to overcome to drug that the Federation had given him presumably in the drinking water.

**"You have drugged me,"** Osiris snarled weakly at the guard. **"You will suffer for this insol…."** Darkness enveloped her before she could finish the sentence.

Ensign Kiras watched their Goa'uld prisoner fall asleep struggling futilely against the effects of Tricolarine. He was surprised by the speed it was acting upon the beautiful female human host and the demon Goa'uld within her. Normally Tricolarine induced sleep slowly. He wasn't surprised by the arrogant symbiote last words as it finally surrendered to unconsciousness - these Goa'uld were arrogant beings indeed. Kiras retrieved a tricorder from his console and scanned the woman - both host and symbiote were deeply unconscious. He tapped his combadge.

"Kiras to sickbay. Osiris is unconscious."

"Already," Simon Tarses commented from sickbay. "The Tricolarine must have been more effective than I thought. No matter were ready anyway. Disengage the force field ensign."

Kiras did as he was told and as soon as the force field went down Osiris was enveloped in a transporter beam and whisked off to sickbay. Kiras smiled then left this cell room to attend to his other duties.

**

* * *

Sickbay**

Dr Simon Tarses watched as Osiris appeared on the main biobed. As soon as the transporter beam disengaged a restraining field activated around the body preventing any movement voluntary or otherwise. Walking up to the unconscious woman Simon stood over her for a few moments. She was beautiful. He could see why Osiris had chosen her to be his host.

"Okay let's get to work people," he said to his medical staff and they hurried to set up the medical transporter and a stasis capsule in which to transport the symbiote since it would die without a host. Putting Osiris in stasis would prevent that - and also render the Goa'uld harmless and prevent it from taking a member of the crew as a host.

"We're ready doctor," one of the orderlies called.

"Initiate transport." Light shimmered and the Goa'uld appeared inside the stasis capsule. Simon gasped as he saw the Goa'uld's natural snake-like form. It was disgusting. After a moment he returned his attention to the sleeping host Sarah Gardner.

Quickly he disengaged the restraining field and brought up the diagnostic console. The scanners confirmed what he'd suspected - the woman was addicted to some kind of substance. Fortunately such physical addictions were easy to cure. It would be up to Councillor Dalara to see to the psychological compulsion and to the damage Sarah Gardner had sustained while a host. Simon guessed that Dalara was going to be busy dealing with her problems and he didn't envy Dalara's task.

As Dalara had pointed out earlier being taken over by a Goa'uld was as bad as being assimilated by the Borg. The psychological damage of the experience would be massive; he still remembered what Captain Picard had gone through back on the _Enterprise_ after being rescued from the Borg having been transformed into Locutus by the Borg Queen. He knew because he'd been there, he'd been a medical technician on the _Enterprise_ at the time.

No he did not envy the task Dalara would have with Sarah Gardner. He did not envy him one bit.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Destiny's Child**

**Chapter Eleven**

**USS Resolution**

Lieutenant Commander Christopher Beech kept a close eye on the two Jaffa prisoners as they frog marched them through the corridors and hallways of the _Resolution_ from the brig deep in the secondary hull to the main shuttle bay in the saucer section. The two humanoid aliens were both very big and extremely strong and would cause trouble in the name of their god if they thought they could get away with it. As it was they knew that they would not be able to, as he and four other members of his security force surrounded them. All of them armed with both hand phasers and the larger more powerful pulsed-compression phaser rifles.

Looking around at their escorts neither Jaffa was happy with the way they were currently being treated but knew they could do nothing about it. Neither Jaffa fancied seeing that the portable versions of these humans' weapons could do, if they were anything like the weapons the ship was armed with they would be both very powerful and very lethal. So they kept quite as they were led through the ship.

After a few moments they arrived in the main shuttle bay and were escorted through the ranks of docked Federation shuttles, runabouts and fighters to their Alkesh. The mid-range Goa'uld attack craft/bomber stood out like a sore thumb amongst the ranks of Federation craft.

"All of your ships power systems have been reactivated," Beech told them as they were led aboard the Alkesh. "Except for your weapons systems and cloaking device. Not that you would do us any damage if you were to try an attack your weapons are far too weak, and we could destroy you with a single phaser blast. Your sensor logs since the battle with Tanneth have been deleted so that you're so called god gains no information about any aspects of our technology."

"Anubis is a god he already knows everything about you," one of the Jaffa said.

"On the contrary," Beech replied. "The Goa'uld are quite pathetic actually. Just a pack of symbiotic alien lifeforms that have gotten drunk with power, power that is really quite pathetic compared to ours."

"Lies our god is strong he will punish you for daring to try and oppose him." Beech chuckled.

"If he tries he would fail," Beech replied. "You've not seen anywhere near this ships full weapons capabilities. If Anubis attacks us he will die just as Tanneth did."

"Gods cannot be killed," both Jaffa chorused in smug unison.

"On the contrary they can. Your gods are flesh and blood just like we are, like all living things they can die. Now then you and Osiris will leave this system and leave quickly before we decide that your arrogance is more trouble than your worth and decide to destroy you."

"I do not see Osiris," the more senior of the two Jaffa said.

"Osiris is here," Beech said pointing at a container sat on the back seat that neither Jaffa had noticed until now. Both Jaffa followed where he was pointing and glowered when they saw Osiris had been removed from his host and now floated in stasis.

"You dare remove Osiris from his host," the more junior Jaffa said. "You will suffer greatly for that."

"Hardly."

Neither Jaffa responded - from their point of view it was all a pack of lies. These Humans were trying to get them to question their faith in the Goa'uld - as some disloyal Jaffa led by the sho'vah Teal'c had done. But it wasn't going to work. Their faith in the Goa'uld was absolute - as any good Jaffa's faith should be.

Beech removed their bindings at that moment before he and the security team left the Alkesh.

The two Jaffa looked at each other for a moment then the senior of the two went and sat in the pilot's chair and powered up the Alkesh's systems. It was true what the Human had said all systems bar weapons and the cloaking device were operating again and that their most recent sensor logs had been wiped not that they had contained much information anyway.

After a moment the Jaffa powered up the Alkesh's engines and guided the bomber out of the open shuttle bay doors into open space. As the Alkesh moved out into open space leaving Tollana and the fearsomely powerful Federation ship behind the Jaffa lay in a course for home and entered hyperspace. Both Jaffa quietly glad to get away from the system with their lives.

**

* * *

Sickbay**

**A Few Hours Later**

Dr Simon Tarses stood over the sleeping form of Sarah Gardner. It had been nearly twelve hours since he'd removed the Goa'uld Osiris from her body - a simple enough thing it had been to do with their advanced medical technology - and had cured her biochemical addiction to a chemical element that was completely unknown to them. He couldn't do anything about the new protein markers left in her blood by Osiris but his scans showed that they were harmless.

Sarah had slept the whole time since Osiris was removed and Simon couldn't help but wonder how traumatic the whole possession by Osiris had been for her. If it were anything like Borg assimilation then it would be very traumatic. So he'd let her sleep for awhile - but now it was time to wake her up, guest quarters had been prepared for her on deck seven and it was time for her to go to them.

Simon sighed and picked up a hypospray from a nearby medical trolley and selected the proper medication from the rack of cartridges. After placing the cartridge in the hypospray he pressed the slender device against the side of Sarah's neck and injected the medication straight into her blood stream, then stood back to wait for the few seconds it would take for the medication to bring her back to consciousness.

Sarah groaned softly as consciousness returned to her body for the first time in what felt like aeons. She immediately knew that Osiris was gone, she no longer felt the demon in her body. No longer was her mind imprisoned behind a mental wall helpless to do anything to fight against the monster controlling her. She basked in the cool wind of freedom that blew through her mind and soul, it was the most welcome sensation she had ever experienced as it was something she never thought she would enjoy again. The desperate gamble she had taken defying Osiris and speaking to that alien telepath had paid off. She was free.

Sarah cautiously opened her eyes - to find herself looking up at a metal ceiling with inset light strips that shone with a light that looked like an artificial form of sunlight. She could hear the soft, almost imperceptible background humming of technology. It took her only a second to realise where she was. She was still onboard the Federation ship - what was it's name again - the _Resolution_.

"Please relax," a male voice said in a soft reassuring tone. "You're safe."

Sarah carefully raised her head to look at the man speaking to her. She found herself looking at a handsome man in his late twenties or very early forties. He wore the same jumpsuit style uniform as everyone else onboard this ship did but the coloured top underneath the black and grey jumpsuit top was a different colour to what she'd seen before - his was blue. The coloured bands around the uniform wrists were also blue. She studied him for a moment. He seemed to be a Human but then she saw his ears. They were in the same place as Human ears but were pointed.

"Who are you," she asked softly. The man smiled reassuringly.

"My name is Dr Simon Tarses I'm the _Resolutions_ chief medical officer. You're currently in my sickbay."

"A Human name. But you're not…"

"Actually I am largely Human," Simon responded with a smile idly fingering one his pointed ears the only give-away that he wasn't a full Human. "My mother is Human and my father is half-Human/half-Romulan consequently I am three quarters Human one quarter Romulan."

"Who are the Romulans?" Sarah asked in honest scientific curiosity having never heard of a race with that name before but then again until Osiris took her she had thought that aliens didn't exist.

"A powerful alien race native to our own universe. You need not concern yourself with them Ms Gardner."

"It's actually Dr Gardner," Sarah supplied carefully sitting up. "I am - or was before Osiris took me - an archaeologist." Then she caught something that Dr Tarses had just said and frowned. "Your own universe! I don't understand." Simon smiled slightly.

"This ship and her crew do not come from this quantum universe, but from one that is very different to this one. Oh it has the same basic physical rules but many things are different in our home universe. For one in our universe the Goa'uld do not exist - or at least don't exist anymore."

"So how did you get here," Sarah asked thinking how wonderful a universe without the Goa'uld would be. "If you don't mind satisfying my curiosity."

"Not at all. Starfleet Command dispatched us to a remote area to investigate strange distortions in subspace and investigate reports of ships appearing and disappearing. Upon our arrival our sensors detected numerous quantum fissures in the space-time continuum. One formed right in front of us and enveloped us before we could escape. We ended up not far from here. We were lucky to survive as it was five of our crew didn't and _Resolution _herself was damaged - not to badly our shields and armour did the job they were designed for - we soon got everything operational again."

"Why didn't you just fly back through the fissure?"

"We couldn't. The fissure closed behind us leaving absolutely no trace. And even if it had still been there we would not have withstood another passage through the fissure. All our shields were down and the armour generators severely damaged. If we'd gone back in we would have been destroyed."

"So you're stuck here."

"For now at least. We are still confident that we'll find away back home eventually."

"Well I am grateful that you were here. I couldn't withstand having Osiris controlling me anymore." As she spoke Sarah felt tears come to her eyes. She took a deep breath hoping to get a handle on the emotions welling up inside her but instead the opposite happened and she began to cry.

After a moment she felt a strong arm go across her shoulders and give her a reassuring squeeze.

"It's okay," Simon said softly as instinctively Sarah buried her head in his shoulder. "Don't fight it. Let it out. You'll feel a little better after." Something in Simons voice told her that he spoke the truth but not from personal experience.

For a few moments she just sat their her head buried in the doctor's shoulder crying like a baby. After a few minutes Sarah brought herself under control at least for now. There would be many more tears before she recovered from the trauma she had gone through.

"Feeling better," Simon Tarses asked her softly with the kind of gentle tone that only a doctor would use.

"A little. Not much."

"Give it time. Guest quarters have been arranged for you on deck seven. I'll take you there in minute if you want."

"I would like that," Sarah admitted. "No offence but I really don't like hospital wards." Simon laughed.

"In my experience no one does," Simon replied still chuckling. "Is there anyone that you would like us to get in contact with?"

Sarah thought about that for a moment. Her parents had died when she was a child, one of the reasons why she'd always gotten along with Daniel - similar history. _Daniel,_ she thought, _he's been there when I've needed him before. And he has experience with the Goa'uld through the SGC and through his wife and brother in law. If anyone can help me get through this then he can._

"There is one," she said after a moment. "Daniel Jackson he was here earlier."

"Yes I know I saw him when Captain Parker brought him, the rest of SG-1 and the Tollan delegation through here earlier as part of their tour. I believe he has returned to Earth now through that transport ring thing - I can't remember what it's called."

"You mean the Stargate."

"So that's what it's called. We can send someone to go get him."

"I would like that."

"Then I'll call Captain Parker and ask him to arrange it. Then I will take you to the quarters that have been prepared for you, you will find the accommodations on this ship quite luxurious."

**

* * *

Captain's Ready Room**

**A Few Minutes Later**

Captain Darien Parker signed off with Dr Tarses and leaned thoughtfully back in his chair considering his options for getting Doctor Jackson to this ship. He was going to have to send someone to earth through the Stargate; it would take far too long to go to Earth with the _Resolution_ herself. But he was going to need help to get through the security measures that he had been told were on the Earth side of the gate.

With a soft smile he tapped his combadge.

"Captain to bridge," he said. "Open a channel to the planet I would like to talk with High Chancellor Travell."

"Aye sir," Lieutenant Wu responded immediately. Darien smiled and turned his monitor on and waited.

After a few moments the Federation seal on the screen disappeared and was replaced by the face of the Tollan leader smiling warmly up at him.

"Greetings Captain Parker this is a very pleasant surprise," Travell said. "What can I do for you?"

"I need your help your eminence," Darien replied and hid a smile as Travell blinked in surprise.

"I see what can I do to help you," Travell asked curious as to what the Federation captain wanted from her people, though if it was in her power to help she would.

"I need to send one of my people through the Stargate to Earth," Darien explained. "And bring someone back from there to this ship."

"And you would like to know how to get through the iris that protects Earth's Stargate," Travell said knowingly.

"Yes."

"We can help there," Travell replied. "Especially as the technology transfer directives do not apply to you as your technology is even more advanced than ours. Please transport whoever you wish to send through down and we will provide him with the means to get through the Earth Stargate."

"Thank you your eminence. One of my officers will beam down shortly."

"It is the least I can do after all the help you have so generously given to my people Captain Parker. I will have someone stand by near the Stargate to meet your officer."

"Thank you."

"It is no trouble at all captain," Travell replied with a smile then cut transmission from her end.

Darien turned off his monitor and sat back in his chair for a few moments considering which officer to send down to the planet and from there to Earth. After a moment he smiled and tapped his combadge again.

"Commander Beech please report to my ready room," he said.

"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Commander Beech responded immediately.

**

* * *

Stargate Command**

**A Couple of Hours Later**

Daniel Jackson looked up startled from translating the stone tablet that SG-7 had brought back when alarms sounded throughout the base signalling an incoming wormhole. Daniel frowned wondering who it was - all SG teams were currently Earthside. Had the Tok'ra found where Anubis was based already.

After a moment he sighed and headed to the control room. He entered the room just as the seventh chevron locked and the wormhole flared into existence behind the iris. He wasn't surprised to see the rest of SG-1 already there along with General Hammond.

"No GDO signal sir," the technician on duty reported to Hammond. Through the Plexiglas windows they abruptly saw the iris seem to wobble slightly like it did when being subjected to a Tollan phase distortion field. Sure enough a moment later a solitary figure walked through the normally impregnable iris as if it wasn't there.

Only it wasn't a Tollan who came through but a man wearing a Starfleet uniform. SG-1 immediately recognised the _Resolutions _tactical officer/security chief Lieutenant Commander Christopher Beech. Clipped onto slots on the mans belt was on the right one of their personal weapons - phasers Daniel thought they were called, on the left was a small device they didn't recognise. A Tollan personal phase shift device was wrapped around his left wrist. Defence teams took aim at him even as he disengaged the phase distortion field that had enabled him to walk through the normally impregnable defensive barrier of the iris.

"Hold fire," Colonel Jack O'Neill barked into the intercom. Hammond and SG-1 left the room to go see what Commander Beech wanted.

When they entered the embarkation room they saw the defence units maintaining a lose ready position - guns up but able to be brought to bear in an instant. On the ramp leading up to the Stargate - which was once more inactive - Commander Beech was tense his sidearm in his hand but currently not aimed at anyone.

"Stand down," Hammond ordered the troops. Obedience was instant. When the troops lowered their weapons Beech placed his phaser back in its belt holster. Hammond turned his attention to their visitor - he didn't recognise him but it was obvious that SG-1 did. "I'm General George Hammond commander of the SGC."

"Lieutenant Commander Christopher Beech of the Federation Starship _Resolution_," Beech responded formally though he didn't salute since Hammond was not a member of Starfleet.

"What can we do for you commander," Hammond asked curiously.

"Nothing. I am actually here to borrow one of SG-1 for awhile."

"Briefing room," Hammond said and started to lead the way to the briefing room.

As they walked the familiar steps to the briefing room SG-1 kept their eyes on Lt Commander Beech wondering which one of them Captain Parker wanted to borrow, and why.

* * *

A couple of moments later SG-1 were assuming their customary positions around the briefing room table. Hammond as usual sat at the head of the table. After a moment Beech took one of the empty seats on the side of the table opposite SG-1.

"Commander will you please explain why you wish to borrow one of SG-1."

"As you are no doubt aware after the battle with Tanneth an Alkesh crewed by two Jaffa and the Goa'uld Osiris was captured by us and brought onboard," Beech said. Hammond nodded wondering where Beech was going with this. "You will also have been told that during Osiris' interrogation our Betazoid councillor probed Osiris' mind to determine truthfulness. What you do not know is that during that telepathic contact the host spoke to Councillor Dalara. Dr Gardner asked that we free her of the Goa'uld. Which we did."

"How?" Jack asked.

"Simple. A standard bioscan revealed that Goa'uld are very vulnerable to one of the many sedatives that we carry in storage on board. We introduced it into Osiris' evening meal. He was unconscious barely seconds after the meal ended. We transported the unconscious host and symbiote to sickbay where we used a medical transporter beam to remove the Goa'uld. The Goa'uld was then placed in a stasis capsule and transported back aboard the Alkesh. The two Jaffa were also escorted back and they left the ship nearly eighteen hours ago."

"What about Sarah," Daniel asked.

"She remained unconscious for nearly twelve hours after Osiris was removed. She woke up a few hours ago and has been given guest quarters on board. She is asking for you Doctor Jackson."

For a few seconds there was silence as Hammond considered. The timing was a little awkward what with the trials for the new recruits only a week away now but he couldn't really refuse if Daniel wanted to go with Commander Beech. They would have to manage without Daniel's help during the trials - he would have to get someone else to take over Daniel's role - maybe Dr Fraiser or Major Ferretti.

"It's up to you Doctor Jackson," he said to Daniel after a moment. "We can manage without you in the personnel trials." The rest of SG-1 nodded in agreement and Daniel pretended to consider for a moment though he had already made his decision.

"Do I have time to pack," he asked Beech after a moment.

"That will not be necessary," Beech replied with a smile. "All personnel and guest quarters on board all Federation vessels are equipped with personal food replicators that can manufacture food or clothing with ease. When you want clean clothes or shoes just tell the computer your size and it will make them for you. Dirty clothes you just put in the replicator and it will clean them for you."

Sam Carter listened quietly to this latest titbit of information on Federation technology. The more she learned of it and the more of it she saw the amazed she became by it. The Federations scientific and technological might was nothing short of amazing - it made Goa'uld technology pale into insignificance by comparison, even the technology possessed by Anubis – what little they had seen of it so far. The only technology over the Federation that the Goa'uld had was in methods of FTL and the _Resolution's_ engineers were already adapting their warp engines to allow them to travel in hyperspace. She would just love to get her hands dirty going through the _Resolution's_ innards with Lieutenant Barrett to find out what made her tick even if she couldn't understand the science behind it.

Sam brought herself back to the here and now - because Daniel was speaking again.

"Okay," Daniel was saying, "when do you want to go?"

"Whenever you want to go," Beech replied. Daniel leaned back a little in his chair.

"Okay," he said softly.

* * *

Barely ten minutes later he was standing besides Beech at the foot of the ramp leading up to the Stargate as it spun and locked in the individual chevrons as the symbols for Tollana were dialled.

"Chevrons six encoded," they heard the technician say. Beech was watching the whole process with interest. That slim box-like device in his hand and opened and pointing at the Stargate - it was obviously a sensor device of somekind. "Chevron seven locked."

The wormhole burst into existence with its usual 'kawoosh' of vapour before settling into the normal shimmering event horizon.

With the kind of calmness that only came from long experience Daniel walked up the ramp. Beech followed a little more nervously as it was only his second time through a Stargate - though the mechanics of it were similar to transporter technology in that the body was reduced to a matter stream - the only thing about this that was different was that matter stream was shot down a subspace wormhole to another Stargate for reassembling there.

Daniel paused at the top of the ramp and turned to look at the control room where General Hammond and the rest of SG-1 could be seen standing on the other side of the Plexiglas windows. He gave a quick wave of goodbye for now, which his teammates - even Teal'c - returned, then he turned back to the Stargate and walked through. Beech followed.

They emerged on Tollana. It was the middle of the night with stars filling the clear sky overhead. One thing that immediately struck Daniel was that it was cold - like a mid-autumn evening. It was so strange - normally the climate on Tollana was warm and comfortable with minimal humidity, he realised now that that was due to the Tollan controlling the planets weather patterns. But since they couldn't at the moment - Goa'uld plasma bombs had destroyed their weather control grid - Tollana was returning to its normal seasons - not the perpetual Indian summer the Tollan liked.

A single Tollan was waiting for them on the other side of the Stargate illuminated by the floodlights that relief parties from Earth had set up around the Stargate. Daniel wasn't surprised to find that it was Narim.

"Welcome back," Narim said in greeting. "Doctor Jackson it is good to see you again."

"And you to Narim," Daniel replied. "How goes the reconstruction?"

"Slowly," Narim replied. "We have finally finished clearing away the debris and in demolishing the damaged structures. All our people are sleeping in shelters and those portable cabin things you've been sending us - they have been very useful thank you and the naquada reactors you've sent us will help rebuild the power grid so thanks again. We start rebuilding the apartment complexes and other civil facilities in the morning. But the hardest bit is over. Reconstruction will not take long now thanks to the wonders of nanotechnology."

"I'm glad," Daniel said.

"So is the Curia," Narim replied. "After we've finished reconstruction we're going to have to decide how to respond to the threat of Anubis. My people have been knocked out of our complacency - which is something we have needed for along time, they have awoken to the threat of the Goa'uld."

"We've been telling you that the Goa'uld are a serious threat for years," Daniel pointed out.

"I know," Narim replied. "But we ignored the threat so smug in our complacency that our technological superiority made us immune to Goa'uld attack. Now that complacency is gone. But what we do about the Goa'uld now is a discussion for another time."

"Yes it is," Beech agreed as he took off the phase distortion device he'd used earlier and offering it to Narim.

"Thank you," Narim said taking the device - which was his own device - and putting it back on his own wrist. "I must go now. I am completely shattered and I have along day tomorrow.

The Curia is considering whether to make me a member."

"Well you do deserve it," Daniel pointed out. "Goodnight Narim."

"Goodnight Daniel. Commander," Narim said with a slight formal bow to Beech then he turned and walked away.

"We should go to the ship ourselves," Beech said. "No doubt you are tired Doctor Jackson."

"I am a little fatigued," Daniel admitted. "Let's go." Beech nodded and tapped his combadge.

"Beech to _Resolution._ Two to beam up. Energise."

The _Resolution's_ transporter beam immediately enveloped them and they were once more standing in one of the six transporter rooms that there were on board a Sovereign-class starship.

"I will take you to your assigned quarters," Beech said to Daniel. "They are right next to Doctor Gardners. Follow me please."

Daniel nodded and followed Beech out of the transporter room. He would see Sarah in the morning and then he would begin the process of helping her to come to terms with and recover from her possession by Osiris.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Destiny's Child**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Royal Palace**

**Anubis Homeworld**

Anubis sat quiet and alone in his inner sanctum. His thoughts completely dominated by his continuing problems with the Federation warship that was still sitting in orbit of Tollana - completely undamaged despite the best efforts of his forces. It still seemed impossible to him that one alien warship could cause him so many problems - but it was causing him numerous problems, threatening to derail all of his carefully laid plans. Though he supposed he should be grateful that it was but one warship not an entire fleet of them. A fleet of those seemingly invincible warships would make the situation even more untenable than it already was.

The _Resolution_ was a very impressive ship he would admit that. Her technology was powerful and more advanced than his own, yet it also seemed to be different to the Ancient technology of which he had a great deal of knowledge. The treasure throve of technological wonders aboard that warship would take decades or even centuries to fully exploit. Unfortunately that very technology made the Federation ship a very grave threat to him, especially to his motherships.

A few hours ago the Alkesh he had dispatched under the command of Osiris to follow the progress of Tanneth's battle with the Federation ship had returned, with dire, unbelievable news. Tanneth's entire battle group five enhanced Shalkra-class motherships from his own fleet had been completely destroyed, three motherships - including the flagship - by the _Resolution_, two by a previously unseen class of Asgard battlecruiser that had been sitting in orbit of Tollana at the time. Nearly eight thousand Jaffa had been lost with those ships - for any Goa'uld that was a major defeat. And then their was the matter of a now host-less Osiris.

According to the two Jaffa the _Resolution_ had detected them monitoring her - but instead of blasting them out of existence had shut down all of their Alkesh's power with some kind of energy pulse and transported them aboard. They'd been returned to their Alkesh a couple of hours later - to find Osiris had been removed from the very attractive female host he'd been inhabiting, and that all their sensor logs of the battle and its aftermath had been erased. Captain Parker had allowed them to leave at that point - humiliated on a ship that was completely defenceless, not that the Alkesh would have been a threat even with fully operational weapons.

Finding a new host for Osiris would not be that difficult - Osiris had expressed much interest in one of his lotars. He'd let that particular lotar have the great honour of being the new host for Osiris. But there was still a certain matter of discipline - for the two Jaffa - to consider. They'd done nothing to stop Osiris being removed from the host body and for that he would have to punish them. How he wasn't quiet sure yet.

And then there was the problem of the _Resolution_ herself to consider. He still had the sensor records from Tanneth's first encounter with her and he'd been examining them in even more detail and discovered even more about the ship though scanning the interior of the ship was nearly impossible through the shields and armour. He was surprised by a report from the two Jaffa observers that the armour on the _Resolution's_ hull was actually retractable, disappearing into the ship when inactive. Which made the technology even more impressive and intimidating because it showed that the Federation knew a lot about how to manipulate both matter and energy.

One of the things about the _Resolution_ that really impressed him - while simultaneously intimidating and frightening him - was the advanced nature of her armaments. The energy weapons were similar to his own but were much more developed and much more powerful, wherever this Federation was they obviously knew how to phase energy. It made them very dangerous indeed, especially if the had portable phased energy weapons. While his partially ascended form wasn't vulnerable to the energy weapons of most species phased energy weapons were a different story. A direct hit from one, if it were powerful enough, would shatter his energy matrix effectively killing him.

And then there were the torpedo weapons the _Resolution_ fired - of which their now appeared to be at least two separate types. The sensor logs from the first engagement showed that the first kind was a controlled antimatter explosive of some kind. On impact small quantities of matter and antimatter collided resulting in a massive blast of super-energised photons and gamma radiation that could inflict punishing damage even through shields. The second type of torpedo was completely unknown - the only thing Anubis had to go on was the Jaffa's report. They'd reported that this kind of torpedo appeared as a blue-white orb that detonated with massive force, unleashing a blast of energy that penetrated his best shields as if they didn't exist and vaporised the mothership. He had his suspicions about what that weapon could be, he suspected that the Federation had an understanding of a technology that previously only the Ancients had known anything about. He suspected that those torpedoes were based off a manipulation of zero point energy.

Anubis couldn't help but wonder where the Federation could have got the knowledge that had to be behind their technology. It was conceivable that they had gained access to some Ancient technology, though it didn't explain why there technology was so different, they were a mystery, a dangerous mystery. As he thought about it an even more unsettling thought occurred to Anubis, could the Federation Humans be descended from the Ancients or could they be some lost tribe of the Ancients returning to there home galaxy.

Anubis shuddered at that thought, if a lost non-ascended tribe of Ancients were coming back in the form of the Federation then the reign of Goa'uld would end and end quickly. Not even he would be able to stand against them, there was no known race that could stop the Ancients. Their power was just too great. _I need to find out,_ he thought, _I need to know if these Federation Humans are related to the Ancients. If they are then there not Human as we here in this galaxy understand the term but much more. But how to find answers, sending ships to attack the _Resolution _is pointless, they'll just be blasted from space in short order._

Anubis sighed to himself. He would find out the truth somehow, he would know if he was right or if he was wrong about the Federation. Until he knew the truth about them he couldn't risk crossing swords with Captain Parker again. As distasteful as it was he was going to have to leave the _Resolution _alone for now. But he was patient, he could wait to get his answers before defeating her and taking the contents of her databanks for himself.

It would make it all the more pleasurable and satisfying when he finally did take her for himself.

**

* * *

USS Resolution **

She stood proud and arrogant on the bridge of a Goa'uld mothership, surrounded by Jaffa and slaves eager to cater for her every whim. Two Jaffa dragged a man before her, a man already badly beaten by her interrogator. Beaten but not broken, still defiant. A man she recognised as Daniel Jackson. She felt her hand, covered in the sleek golden ornamentation of a Goa'uld hand device, be raised and trained on him. She felt the demon in command of her body activate the hand device, invisibly trapped within herself she cried out in sympathy and horror as Daniel writhed and screamed as the hand device killed him slowly and painfully.

* * *

Suddenly a bright flash and once again standing on the bridge of that same mothership with a planet visible through the view port and several more motherships visible taking up bombardment positions in orbit. Her hand stabbing down on a control that unleashed the combined might of the fleet of motherships down upon the defenceless planet. The bombardment of phase cannon fire and plasma torpedoes blowing great holes in the crust of the planet letting huge geysers of molten rock to risk up into the air, vaporising the settlements. Seeing her face reflected off the polished surface of the console grinning and eyes glowing with evil pleasure as in front of her the planet burned.

* * *

Sarah awoke with a scream. Sitting up in the luxurious bed she tried desperately to calm her rampant heartbeat. Carefully she eased out of bed and started across the room to the bathroom. Activating the sink and filling it with water. She reached down to scoop up some of the water to splash it upon her face. Only to recoil in horror as a mature Goa'uld symbiote looked at her calmly from beneath the surface of the pool of water then with a muscular flick of its body leaping out of the water and striking her neck and burrowing instantly inside even as she screamed.

* * *

A sharp bleep jolted Sarah Gardner awake. Really awake this time. Reflexively she touched the back of her neck. There was no scar old or new Doctor Tarses had completely healed it while she was unconscious earlier. The bleep came again. This time she recognised it as the door chime. Quickly she pulled the bed sheets around herself. 

"Come in," she called out. Recognising her voice as the vocal pattern they were programmed to respond to the doors opened with a silent swish to permit her visitor access.

She wasn't surprised to see that it was Daniel, dressed for sleep with only a Starfleet issue dressing gown and a pair of slippers on his feet. Though not for the first time she was surprised by how different he looked now to how he had been when she'd known him before. The Daniel she had known had been tall but very slim and lanky, even though he'd been reasonably fit. Daniel now though was very different, he was still tall but he was now much more athletically built, his body rippling with lean, well-defined muscles. The change was still startling but very appealing. Travelling through the Stargate two or three times a week most weeks obviously agreed with Daniel. What was even more appealing though was despite all he had been through with the Goa'uld Daniel was still the same gentle and caring person that he had always been.

"Are you alright Sarah I heard you screaming," Daniel asked coming fully into the room allowing the doors to close. He could guess what had happened, that Sarah had had a nightmare. A nightmare about what she'd done when she'd been a host, and some of the things that she could have done while still under the control of Osiris. It was only to be expected and as he recalled Skaara had gone through the same thing after being freed of Klorell. He had spent as much time as he could on Abydos in the immediate aftermath of Skaara's liberation helping him recover with the aid of Kasuf the father to Skaara and his late beloved wife Sha're.

"It was a nightmare," Sarah admitted looking down at the bed still shaking slightly from the after effects of the horrible nightmare. Daniel gave a slight knowing smile and moved over to the edge of the bed.

"I was dreaming that…" Sarah started to say.

"That you were still a host," Daniel finished. At her shocked look he smiled. "Skaara went through the same thing when he was liberated from Klorell."

"Does it stop," Sarah asked looking up at her old friend and former lover desperately her eyes shinning with unshed tears.

"Eventually the nightmares will stop," Daniel replied taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her. "It will always be with you Sarah. But in time the memories and the pain will fade but they won't ever completely go away."

"But I don't want to remember," Sarah growled looking down and feeling tears come to her eyes again. "I saw myself do so many horrible things that I don't want to remember them. I just want to rip those memories out."

"That would actually do you more harm than good," Daniel replied softly.

"Why? I committed atrocities Daniel. I don't want to remember. I should have fought Osiris harder I could have beaten him." Daniel rolled his eyes.

"No you couldn't. No Human can beat a mature Goa'uld once it starts blending. Only one race of humanoids ever developed that ability and as punishment the System Lords destroyed their world and addicted the survivors to a drug and get them to serve as mercenaries. And Sarah…" Daniel gently reached out a hand and forced her to look at him. "You shouldn't blame yourself for what your body did while you were a host. You couldn't stop Osiris but in the end you beat him. You're free of him now, he can never hurt you again."

Sarah smiled slightly at Daniel's words even as tears started to seep from her eyes again. He was right as usual. Intellectually she knew that but it was her heart that needed convincing.

"I just feel like I…" She couldn't continue beyond that point and once again broke down in tears.

Daniel immediately took notice of this and smiled to himself. He had been expecting it. Gently he reached out and pulled Sarah to him as he had always used to when she'd been upset about something.

Sarah buried her head in Daniels strong shoulder instinctively wrapping her arms around him as he wrapped his own arms around her as her whole body shook with sobs.

They stayed that way for quiet sometime. With Sarah drawing comfort from Daniels strong form as she cried out her emotions. Her pain, anger, grief and humiliation at the way Osiris had used her had abused her body for his own vial evil ends. Eventually she slipped into a deep, troubled sleep.

Gently Daniel tucked her back into bed and pulled the sheets back over her. Then he gently placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room to return to his own quarters. As he left he instructed the computer to inform him immediately if Sarah awoke. He didn't think that it was likely but it was always a possibility and he didn't mind if he lost sleep because of it. What was important right now was that he be here for Sarah as she walked along the long hard road to recovery.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Captain's Ready Room**

**USS Resolution**

Captain Darien Parker sighed as he stepped into the ready room and saw the pile of pads filled with reports from every single department on the ship sitting on his desk for his attention. Getting your ship hurled into a completely different universe didn't reduce the amount of paperwork that you had to do - at least not to any appreciable degree. At least he didn't have to send reports to Starfleet Command at the moment. His report to Starfleet could wait until they got back to their own universe, if they ever did.

As he walked around to his chair Darien thought about Starfleet Command for a few minutes. Specifically he wondered if they were looking for them. By their reckoning they had been in this universe for more than a month now - way longer than their mission should have taken. He would think they would be – the disappearance of a ship was always rigorously investigated, the fact that it was a Sovereign-class starship – one of the newest, most advanced starships in the fleet – that had disappeared would make it that much more urgent in the eyes of the admirals. Another ship would be sent to investigate their disappearance, possibly more than one.

Darien just hoped they didn't get pulled into the fissures as well as there was no way to know which universe they would end up in, and there was no guarantee that a ship that was weaker than a Sovereign would survive passage through one of the fissures. Darien winced slightly remembering the damage his ship had sustained in the passage to this universe and the lives it had cost all that despite the fact that the shields had been up and the ablative armour deployed. Thankfully they had been able to repair the damage to the ship, but now they were stuck in another universe and he did not know if they would ever be able to get home.

After a moment Darien dismissed those thoughts from his mind as he picked up the first datapad which immediately caught his attention. The pad contained a report from engineering on the progress of adapting their engines and deflector array to allow them to enter hyperspace. The work was slow going as hyperspace used a subspace field in a completely different way, a way that was different to anything they had ever seen before but which had similarities to transwarp engines and quantum slipstream drives but was clearly distinctly different from both.

Before they had let it go Lieutenant Barrett had run scans on the hyperdrive of the Goa'uld Alkesh. It had given them some pointers though the subspace field a Goa'uld drive put out was far less complex and a lot less powerful than what the _Resolutions _warp coils generated for even low warp speeds. Despite the advanced nature of their technology it was readily apparent to Darien that the Goa'uld didn't understand the more complex elements of subspace physics, which would fit in with what they knew about the Goa'uld essentially parasitic nature, especially in how they stole knowledge and technology from others. Lieutenant Barrett indicated in her report that they would be ready for their first test hyperspace flight within two months, though Lieutenant Barrett indicated that she would like to test the modifications on the engines of one of their runabouts first before applying them to the _Resolution_.

A precaution Darien could well understand and approved of, to them hyperspace was a new and to them completely untested means of faster than light propulsion, he wanted it to be thoroughly tested before they applied it to his ship. After all their was no starbase just around the next star to go to if something were to go wrong and the ship were to take serious damage to critical systems.

After a moment's thought Darien picked up a blank datapad and made a note to order Lieutenant Barrett to go ahead with the modifications to one of their six Danube-class runabouts. Then put the pad down and picked up the next pad that demanded his attention.

The pad was formal written request from the Tollan Curia for assistance in rebuilding and upgrading their planetary defence network. He was inclined to agree to assist in the upgrades; his ship couldn't stay here indefinitely, the Tollan needed to be able to protect themselves from the Goa'uld should they return. The question was how far should he go with assisting them, should he help them build a full Federation style planetary defence grid consisting of planetary defence shields and ground based phaser cannons, or do something else. He wasn't really comfortable giving the Tollan access to Federation weapons, though they were mature enough to handle them wisely and there technology was comparable in most areas so the Prime Directive was not really an obstacle in this instance. Darien sighed after a moment deciding that this was not a decision he could make on his own, this one he would need the council of his senior staff to decide upon.

He was about to summon his senior officers to the ready room when the intercom went off.

"Bridge to Captain Parker," said Commander Urlet's voice. Darien tapped his combadge.

"Yes commander."

"Sir an Asgard battlecruiser has just come out of hyperspace and is heading in our direction on an intercept course."

"Hail them I'll be right out," Darien ordered as he stood up and rounded his desk thoughts of upgrading the Tollan's defences forgotten for now. What did the Asgard want with them?

He stepped out onto the bridge just as Lieutenant Wu reported that the Asgard warship was not responding to their hails.

"Scan them Mr Wu," Darien ordered, as he moved to the command chair that was hurriedly vacated by Commander Urlet. "See if they're damaged."

"Aye sir," Wu responded and punched in the appropriate commands. Then frowned as the scan results came back. "Sir sensors show no life signs onboard the Asgard vessel." Darien frowned and exchanged a confused look with Commander Urlet. Abruptly the sensors chimed a warning.

"Sir the Asgard ship has raised shields and is powering up its weapons systems," Beech reported.

"Red alert shields up," Darien ordered automatically. Immediately the main lights dimmed and crimson coloured panels began to flash as alarms sounded throughout the ship sending the crew hurrying to battle stations. The shields came up and the familiar thudding sound of the ablative armour being deployed over the hull immediately echoed throughout the ship.

"Asgard weapons systems are locking on," Beech reported. "They are firing."

A blue white disintegration beam lashed out from a point on the Asgard ships forward section. The beam slammed into the _Resolution's_ forward shields illuminating them with a soft bluish glow as the energy was deflected back out into space.

"Direct hit shields are holding," Beech reported even as the ship shuddered under the impact.

"Return fire," Darien ordered as another blast slammed into the shields shaking the ship. "Forward phasers. Full power."

The forward phasers cut lose slamming bright yellow-orange javelins of phased particle energy into the Asgard ships forward shields. The shields flashed brightly as they absorbed and deflected the fury of the phaser beams and through the blue glow of its shields the Asgard vessel visibly trembled with the impact.

Startled and respectful now the Asgard ship changed tactics and noticed that its disintegration beams were having no discernible effect on Federation shields. Immediately the cruiser redirected power from the disintegrators to its heavy weapons. A moment later a pulse of blue light leapt from the centre of the cruisers forward section, a second bolt following almost instantly, then a third. The three pulses reached the _Resolution_ almost immediately lighting up her shields like a nova and shaking the ship hard.

"Forward shields at ninety percent," Beech reported. "The Asgard weapon appears to be somekind of focused disintegration pulse similar in nature to the beams but more powerful a bit like a pulse phaser is slightly more powerful than a standard phaser beam."

"Quantum torpedoes full spread dispersal pattern sierra," Darien ordered as the ship rocked as another volley of three pulses hammered the forward shields.

"Ready sir," Beech replied.

"Fire." A full spread of five quantum torpedoes blasted from the turret launcher on the underside of the _Resolution's_ saucer section. The salvo slammed into the Asgard ship almost immediately the explosions coming so hard and fast that for a second the Asgard ship disappeared in the glare of the blasts. After a moment the glare faded revealing some minor damage to the Asgard ships hull.

"Their forward shields are down to sixty percent sir. Their shields are regenerating," Beech reported as the Asgard ship retaliated with both disintegrators in both beam and pulse mode. _Resolution_ shuddered violently and EPS relays blew out on three forward decks. "Forward shields at fifty percent. Secondary shield generators cutting in, shields firming back up to ninety percent," Beech called out over the wail of damage warnings. "EPS relays have blown out on decks three through five. Twenty percent power loss."

"Hit them with everything we've got," Darien ordered even as his ship was rocked by more Asgard fire. Beech nodded his hands dancing across his console.

The _Resolution_ let rip at the Asgard ship, hammering its forward shields with phaser blasts, photon torpedoes and the occasional quantum torpedo. The Asgard battlecruiser literally seemed to stagger in space as its shields glowed nova bright beneath the punishing onslaught, the cruiser began pulling back slightly while attempt to shore up it shields as they struggled to hold off an onslaught powerful enough to pulverise a small moon. Arc's of energy began crackling through the shields as they faltered, sending searing ribbons of pure energy crackling over the hull scorching and beginning to burn through the cruisers heavy armour.

But the Asgard ship dished out the punishment as well as taking it, its disintegration beams and pulses continued to pound the _Resolution's_ shields, quickly wearing down both the primary and secondary shields before either had a chance to regenerate. It was a battle of attrition between two titans a race to see who would break through the others shields first.

On the _Resolution's_ bridge Lieutenant Wu abruptly called out having to shout over the roar of the repeated impacts and the occasional sounds of internal explosions as systems and EPS conduits blew out.

"Sir another Asgard cruiser has just come out of hyperspace. Sir they're firing upon the first ship."

Darien nodded he could see it himself. The second Asgard warship came in behind the first one and began firing with everything it had pummelling the cruiser's rear shields with its own disintegration pulses and beams. Simultaneously Beech unleashed another salvo of photon torpedoes. The first torpedoes demolished what was left of the warships forward shields - the last two torpedoes slammed into the hull and detonated. Explosions rocked the forward sections of the cruiser as entire sections were obliterated. The cruiser seemed to literally stagger back from the force of the impacts as glowing debris and burning gases tore out of the two massive holes in its hull.

"Mr Beech target an energy dissipater pulse onto the first Asgard ship and fire. I want to know who is on that ship and why they fired upon us," Darien ordered resisting the impulse to destroy their attackers. A glance at Beech's face showed Darien that his tactical/security officer would rather fire a quantum torpedo or two at the attacker but he did as he was ordered. A moment later the same coruscating blue-white energy pulse that had been run along the tractor beam that had captured Osiris' Alkesh lashed out from one of the phaser arrays and hit the first Asgard ship and immediately expanded into a shimmering corona of light that crackled along both the outer hull and the interior of the Asgard ship.

The damaged cruiser immediately lost all power and began to drift dead in space still trailing debris from the burning rents in its side. The second Asgard ship stopped firing at that moment.

"Sir the second cruiser is hailing us," Wu reported. "It's Commander Thor."

"On screen," Darien ordered. The image of Commander Thor appeared on the bridge view screen.

"Captain Parker are you alright," Thor asked immediately.

"We're a bit battered Thor but we're okay," Darien responded. "I would like an explanation as to why one of your warships attacked us without warning or provocation."

"The ship you are referring to was infested by the Replicators," Thor replied. "Upon gaining control of the _Galishka's_ computer the Replicators learned about the existence of your ship and the level of your technology which to the Replicators made you an irresistible target. I came in pursuit as soon as I learned where the _Galishka _was going. I am gratified to see that I was not to late. Though you seemed to be doing pretty well against them."

"They are tough opponents," Darien pointed out.

"Indeed they are," Thor agreed. "My scans show no Replicator activity on the _Galishka_ now and that no energy sources are active. I am curious as to what that energy pulse you just fired is?"

"It's an energy dissipater weapon," Darien replied. "Originally developed by the Breen Confederacy. Our version has much shorter range than the Breen weapons do."

"Still it is impressive," Thor said. "Captain Parker on behalf of the Asgard High Council I apologise for any damage the Replicators have inflicted upon your vessel. Do you require assistance with your repairs?"

"Not at this time Thor but thank you for the offer I will keep it in mind. I will send an away team over to the _Galishka_ shortly to examine the remains of these Replicators I want to know all I can about them. Perhaps you would consider a joint operation."

"Of course," Thor responded. "Your energy dissipater weapon seems to be very effect against the Replicators. Perhaps we could negotiate a trade?"

"I will be happy to discuss a trade of technologies with you later Thor. In the meantime I have to see to the organisation of repairs and the treatment of our wounded. I will contact you when the away team is ready to transport to the _Galishka_."

"Very well captain I will speak with you later. In the meantime I will contact the Tollan Curia and apologise to them for this battle taking place in their space."

"Thank you Thor."

"You are welcome," Thor responded. "I will speak with you shortly. _Valkastner_ out." Thor's image disappeared from the main view screen.

"Stand down from red alert. Damage report," Darien ordered waving his hand at the thin haze of smoke filling the air even as the ventilators began to clear it away.

"EPS relays have burned out on decks three through five and decks six and seven. Primary life support systems are off line. Inertial dampers are damaged but are continuing to function. Engineering responding to all reports of damage," Wu reported.

"Casualties?"

"Thirteen injured sir. Two seriously. Sickbay responding."

"What about our guests?" Before anyone could answer the turbo lift doors opened and a battered looking Daniel Jackson and Sarah Gardner stepped out onto the bridge. Darien rotated the command chair to look at them. "Are you alright," he asked.

"Yes," Daniel replied. "A bit battered and bruised but otherwise we're fine. What happened? Who attacked us? Anubis again?"

"No. We were just attacked by an Asgard cruiser under the control of – I believe Thor called them the Replicators." Sarah Gardner looked confused - she'd never heard of the Replicators before, mainly because the Goa'uld had never heard of them - but Daniel Jackson winced.

"Oh no not them again," he moaned. "Two encounters with those blasted things is enough for anyone. I assume you destroyed them from the fact that were still here and don't have little mechanical bugs crawling around devouring the ship."

"You assume correctly. At least both us and Thor think that they've been destroyed. The warship they were controlling is completely powerless and according to Thor there is no sign of any Replicator activity on board."

"Thor's here?" Daniel asked in surprise.

"Yes he followed the Replicator controlled ship here and arrived just in time to turn the fight in our favour. We're going to send an away team over to the disabled warship soon. Thor's going to do the same."

"Then there is one big thing that you really need to know about the Replicators," Daniel replied. "And that's that they are completely impervious to portable directed energy weapons they will just absorb the energy and keep coming at you. The only portable weapons that can destroy Replicators are projectile weapons."

"That's not a problem," Beech replied from his station. "In our database we have the specs for a number of projectile weapons for use on planets where energy weapons don't work. We can easily replicate some and the ammunition to go with them."

"Doctor Jackson as I said we are going to send an away team over to the disabled cruiser - the _Galishka_ Thor called it - soon. Since you have experience with these Replicators would you mind joining the team?" Darien asked. Daniel blinked and considered for a few moments.

"Alright," he said after a moment. "I'll join your away team. When do we go?"

"Soon," Darien replied and glanced at Beech. "Mr Beech will be assembling his team shortly. If you go with him he'll make sure that you get issued with the proper equipment and are shown how to use it properly."

**

* * *

Twenty Minutes Later**

The five members of the away team materialised in the central corridor on the central deck of the disabled _Galishka_. They were all clad in environmental suits as life support had been eliminated when the warship lost power. Four additional transporter beams flashed nearby and a group of Asgard - clad in the silver one-piece suits that were their version of environmental suits - materialised.

All nine explorers turned on flashlights as the interior of the ship was in complete darkness even emergency lighting had been eliminated by the energy dissipater pulse fired by the _Resolution_ at the end of the battle.

The interior of the _Galishka_ was in a very bad way. Smoke hung in the stale air from fires that had long since burned themselves out. Whole bulkheads had been blown to pieces by the internal explosions that had torn through the ship. Support girders hung at odd angles from the ceiling trailing fibre-optic cables that would have been sparking fitfully if their had been any power.

"The bridge is this way," Thor said softly from his position leading the Asgard team. They began moving through the ship - moving cautiously to avoid tripping on any of the rubble. Thor was both impressed and appalled by the destruction he witnessed – during their long battle with the Replicators he had seen the wreckage of many defeated Asgard ships, but this damage was different. In this case their had been no operational internal dampening fields to contain the explosions set off by the impacting Asgard and Federation weapons - the result was a complete and utter mess as the Humans said. Thor suspected that if the _Galishka_ had been hit but once more she would have been sliced clean in half.

After a short while they came upon their first sign of the Replicators in the form of a pile of blocks that were the distinctive grey of Replicator blocks. One of the Federation officers knelt down and scanned the blocks with what was obviously a portable scanner unit of some type. Looking at the officer through the transparent front and top of the helmet Thor was shocked to see that it wasn't a Federation officer at all but Doctor Daniel Jackson - Thor wondered what he was doing here.

"Take a look at this," Daniel Jackson was saying. "If I'm reading this thing right the circuitry pathways on these blocks have been completely disrupted somehow."

Curious Thor scanned the blocks with his own scanner and was surprised by the results. Dr Jackson was right the internal kyron-circuitry that was the basis of the Replicator technology had been completely disrupted by the energy dissipater pulse. The Replicator in question would have immediately stopped functioning and fallen to bits. Looking around with his light block Thor saw more piles of dead blocks where Replicators had literally fallen to pieces when the energy dissipater pulse destroyed the very thing that was essential to their continued function i.e. the kyron pathways.

Hope abruptly flooded through him. If he was successful in acquiring the plans for this energy dissipater weapon from Captain Parker then it could be the saviour of his people as it could be the weapon that would end the war with the Replicators. With the Replicators destroyed they could finally focus all of their attention upon protecting the developing sentients of this galaxy from the Goa'uld and on finding a solution to the genetic degradation that was slowly destroying the Asgard race. _Don't get ahead of yourself Thor,_ he told himself, _there is no guarantee that the alien weapon that did this to the Replicators will be compatible with Asgard technology. After all scans of the _Resolution _show that Federation technology is very different to Asgard technology. But even if the technology proves incompatible it will still give us valuable pointers to creating our own version of the weapon._

"Let's keep moving," Lieutenant Commander Beech said. "We have a lot more ship to survey."

"That is true," Thor agreed. "Let us continue to the bridge."

"Please lead on." Thor nodded softly and began walking again leading the way towards the ship's bridge.

It took them another two hours to survey the entire ship. Everywhere it was the same, horrendous damage and piles of dead Replicator blocks. They were not able to access the forward sections of the ship - those were in vacuum and had been sealed off by internal bulkhead doors that had slammed closed automatically when the _Resolution's_ photon torpedoes had blasted holes in the hull opening all the forward decks to space.

Shortly after his return to the _Valkastner_ Thor communicated with the Asgard High Council and gave them his findings. To say that the council was excited about the possibility of acquiring the Federations energy dissipater weapon for use against the Replicators was an understatement. They fully realised that the weapon could turn the tide of their increasingly desperate war with the Replicators. After considering the issue the High Council ordered Thor to begin negotiations with Captain Parker about an exchange of technologies as soon as was possible.

Thor immediately hailed the _Resolution_ and spoke with the powerfully built Human who commanded her and who now held the key to the salvation of the Asgard race against the Replicators. After talking for a number of minutes they agreed to begin technology transfer talks the following morning.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

****

Chapter Fourteen

U.S.S Resolution

Next Morning

Feeling uncomfortable in his dress uniform Captain Darien Parker arrived in the number one transporter room of the _Resolution_ to await the arrival of the Asgard negotiator. Darien didn't know what made him more uncomfortable; the fact that he had to wear dress uniform or the fact that he was entering a discussion that could see the transfer of Federation technology to another civilisation. A civilisation that in truth they still knew very little about; like most species in this universe the Asgard were still very much a mystery to them. _Probably the fact that I have to wear this thing,_ Darien thought as he stepped across the threshold into the transporter room, _damned protocol for demanding we wear dress uniform for diplomatic talks._

Waiting in the transporter room for him looking immaculate in her dress uniform was Commander Urlet and off to the side stood Dr Daniel Jackson – dressed in a freshly replicated two peace suit complete with shirt and tie. Daniel smiled warmly at Captain Parker; Darien had asked him to join them since he had had prior experience dealing with the Asgard on both a personal level and in diplomatic talks. Daniel hadn't minded lending a hand in this instance – he knew how vital to the Asgard and by extension Earth as well these negotiations were.

As Thor had described to Jack in the past the Replicators were an enemy that was far worse than the Goa'uld, if the Replicators triumphed over the Asgard then there would be no stopping them, they would swarm across the galaxies wiping out entire civilisations in their uncaring, insatiable need for technology and resources to consume to make more of themselves. The energy dissipation weapons technology that the Federation had had already proven to be devastatingly effective against the Replicators as the piles of dead blocks aboard the derelict, soon to be destroyed, _Galishka_ proved. If the Asgard were given the information on that extremely exotic and alien weapons technology, then the Replicator threat would be finally eliminated once and for all.

Still despite knowing how vitally important these talks were Daniel found that a part of him would much rather be with Sarah. Sarah was currently in another session with Councillor Dalara, recovering from the psychological damage she had sustained during Osiris' possession of her body, making her a helpless prisoner within herself. Daniel knew that those sessions while they did Sarah a lot of good, also took a lot of toll on her, practically every night at the moment she was in his arms for a good long while in either her quarters or his own. Daniel shook himself slightly to stop his mind drifting in the direction of what himself and Sarah got up to when they were on their own together at night, suffice to say it was very intimate in a way that he hadn't experienced since the death of his beloved Sha're. Noticing that both Captain Parker and Commander Urlet were looking at him oddly Daniel nodded that he was okay and realised he had been letting himself get distracted, something that everyone at the SGC had long ago gotten used to.

"Status report please," Darien said at last breaking the silence in the transporter room.

"The _Valkastner_ has just hailed us with coordinate's sir," the transporter operator a Tellerite – whose name Darien could never remember – responded. "Commander Thor is ready to transport aboard." Attempts to synchronise the _Valkastner's_ transporter array with the _Resolution's_ had proven to difficult – Asgard and Federation transporter beams seemed to operate completely differently though the basic principles were the same, it had therefore been decided by both sides that the _Resolution_ would transport Thor and any other Asgard representatives back and forth between the two ships.

"Very well, energise," Darien ordered. The transporter activated and in a shimmer of silver and blue light Commander Thor materialised on the transporter pad and Darien finally saw a real life Asgard up close. One thing that immediately struck him was how short Thor was – the Asgard was only about three feet tall if that and very thin and extremely delicate looking. The head was slightly larger than one would expect and the large pure black eyes gazed at him with great intelligence and great age. He only paused for a moment before stepping forward to greet his guest. "Commander Thor welcome aboard the Federation starship _Resolution_," he said politely.

"Thank you Captain Parker I am pleased to be here," Thor responded and to Darien's surprise Thor extended his hand in the Human greeting gesture. Carefully he took Thor's small hand in his own and they shook hands gently. Just as carefully Darien released Thor's hand – he didn't want to take a risk of hurting the Asgard.

"This is my first officer Commander Urlet you spoke briefly when you helped deliver the initial shipment of relief supplies to the Tollan." Urlet bowed her head slightly in greeting. "And I believe you already know Doctor Jackson."

"Hello Thor," Daniel said warmly.

"Hello Dr Jackson," Thor replied reflexively inclining his head to meet Daniel's eyes. He was so used to doing it with Humans by now. "I am surprised to see you here. I was not aware until yesterday that you were here. Is the rest of SG-1 here?"

"No," Daniel replied knowing what Thor was really asking. Thor was asking if Jack was here. "No they're back on Earth taking part in training simulations for a group of new SGC officers. They'll be at it all week."

"I see then why are you here?"

"I came at the request of a friend," Daniel replied. "Since I've had experience dealing with both the Replicators and the Asgard Captain Parker asked if I would mind assisting in these negotiations."

"I understand." Thor looked at Captain Parker. "Speaking of negotiations Captain Parker I believe that we had best get started. It is my peoples hope that they bear fruit." _In fact we desperately need them to succeed,_ Thor thought to himself, _for this ship may hold the weapon that could be our only chance of defeating the Replicators._

"This way," Darien said leading Thor out of the transporter room deliberately keeping his pace short to avoid making the Asgard run to keep up with him. Urlet and Daniel followed. Daniel pulled up besides Thor and for a couple of minutes the two spoke quietly amongst themselves – it seemed to Darien that Daniel was giving Thor more information on what he was doing here away from the rest of his team.

After a couple of moments they reached the turbo lift.

"Conference room one," Darien ordered the lift computer as they climbed in. The turbo lift doors closed behind them and the lift started its journey through the ship.

------

The turbo lift took barely moments to travel through the many levels and sections of the ship to their destination. The doors opened to the short corridor that connected the turbo lift to one of the two access points to conference room one. The other was located on the bridge itself.

"This way," Darien instructed leading Thor along the short corridor to the conference room.

Thor was impressed with the conference room once he was inside it. The most startling feature of the room was the massive windows that took up the whole of one wall. Through them it was possible to see part of Tollana as it rotated lazily around it axis while floating silent in the star dappled blackness of space. The other main features of the room were the large conference table that filled the room surrounded by comfortable Human-style chairs and one custom replicated Asgard style seat, and a large glass case along the wall opposite the windows. The case contained a large gold-coloured incredibly detailed model of the ship.

"Please be seated," Darien said moving to his normal place at the head of the table. Commander Urlet also moved to her customary place on the right hand side of her captain. Thor moved to the Asgard seat on Darien's immediate left, Daniel moved to the chair immediately next to Thor.

Once everyone was seated comfortably Darien called the meeting to order.

"Well then Thor let us get down to business," he said to the Asgard fleet commander. "What exactly do your people want from us?"

"As I am sure you are aware my people are engaged in an increasingly desperate war with a dangerous, merciless, relentless enemy," Thor replied. "This enemy is an artificial intelligence that we have named the Replicators. The Replicators have one goal and one goal alone and that is to make more of themselves, each new generation of Replicators is more advanced than the previous one as they improve themselves with knowledge and technological aspects that they assimilate from the ships and worlds whose technology they consume."

"Despite repeated attempts to stop them the Replicators have continued to advance across our home galaxy," Thor continued. "Any opposition is simply crushed or if the engaging Asgard ships are more advanced they are boarded and consumed to produce even more advanced Replicators. At the current rate of progression the Asgard High Council predicts the total defeat and extinction of the Asgard race within two Earth years." Daniel winced as he listened to Thor speak, he hadn't realised that the Asgard were so perilously close to being defeated by the Replicator hoards.

"Now you have shown us that a weapons technology exists that can destroy the Replicators quickly and utterly by fatally disrupting the kyron pathways in the individual blocks that make up the Replicator technology," Thor continued. "I will not exaggerate Captain Parker; my people are in desperate need of that technology. The Asgard High Council is willing to meet any terms you deem appropriate in exchange for being given access to your energy dissipation technology. As a gesture of our sincerity we will give you the information you need to replicate our hyperspace technology, we are aware that you are researching the development of your own hyperspace technology. We will give you the information that will allow you to build a hyperdrive capable of both interstellar and intergalactic travel freely."

"That is extremely generous of your people Thor," Darien replied after a moment of silent thought. "We will accept that information and thank you deeply. I am inclined to grant your people access to our energy dissipation weapons technology. But before I can do that we need to work out a full and fair exchange – so lets get down to the nitty gritty and work out a proper formal agreement."

"Yes," Thor agreed. "Let us discuss the terms and conditions of technology transfer."

-----

Goa'uld Space Station

Goa'uld Empire, That Same Time

Osiris watched through the eyes of his new host as the cargo ship conveying him to a meeting with the High Council of the Goa'uld System Lords approached the space station that had traditionally served as the neutral meeting place of the System Lords.

The meeting of the High Council had been summoned on very short notice after Anubis had taken the highly unusual step of sending a subspace message to all of the most powerful System Lords. Not only had that message informed the System Lords that Anubis had returned from a thousand years of exile, a fact that Osiris knew had caused absolute uproar amongst them, but that there was a powerful and dangerous new enemy out in the depths of space that could threaten the very existence of the Goa'uld. Reluctantly the System Lords had accepted Anubis back into their ranks and agreed to meet with a representative to discuss the matter. Which was why Osiris was here, to try and enlist the assistance of the System Lords in capturing or destroying the Federation vessel currently orbiting Tollana, before more of their ships returned.

A shudder ran through the deck of the cargo ship as it docked with the space station. Osiris sighed softly, he did not want to go to this meeting but he knew it was necessary. If the Federation really were some descendants of the Ancients themselves as Anubis believed, then the System Lords had to be ready. As who knew when more of their ships would arrive, the _Resolution_ could after all be merely a scout ahead of a much larger fleet.

"Lord Osiris we have achieved hard seal with the space station," the Jaffa pilot of the cargo ship said. "The System Lords have indicated that they are ready to receive you."

"Very well, remain here this will not take long."

"Yes my lord." Osiris stood up and headed for the airlock, an ever present lotar moving closely behind him.

-----

A Few Minutes Later

Sitting comfortably in one of the thrones in the council chamber Osiris made his masters case to the assembled System Lords.

"This so called 'Federation' ship is a danger to both our power base and to our race; with this in mind my master has requested this meeting, to propose an alliance to destroy their ship and the remains of the Tollan homeworld."

"We have heard of this ship, but it has not harmed us or any of our holdings. Only your master has had problems with this vessel, if we leave them alone then we will be fine." One of the others said. Kali dismissed the words with a wave.

"If the Federation come here then none of our people will be 'fine'," Osiris countered. "Their weapons and defences are considerably more powerful than our own. If it gets out we can be beaten the Jaffa will start to question us as many have already started because of the Tau'ri."

"They will not question their Gods."

"The Federation are some form of descendents of the Ancients; we must destroy their ship now before more of them return to this galaxy."

"What do you suggest Osiris?" growled Camulus.

"Combine all our forces and launch a full scale assault on Tollana. Destroy the Federation ship and reduce the planet to a ball of molten rock."

"How many ships do you think you will need for this? I assume your master will send some of his own," Lord Yu spoke up, anger in his voice as he was not at all happy that Anubis was back. With the deaths of Cronus and Apophis he was the only System Lord left from the time of Anubis' banishment, he well remembered the reasons why Anubis had been banished in the first place. Had he learned Anubis was still alive sooner than this then he would have turned the full force of his fleet on Anubis to kill him as he had wanted to do a thousand years ago, only to be overruled by Ra and Heru'ur.

"As many as you can spare."

"Just how exaggerated are the reports from our spies and survivors of the ships?" Camulus asked.

"They are not. I have been aboard that ship, believe me when I say that if more of them come, if there fleet arrives, then the reign of the Goa'uld will end."

Silence reigned in the council chamber, this was not something easily contemplated by any of their race. To say it outright was tantamount to treason and blasphemy, considering Osiris' belief in his master this ship must be something very different and very powerful.

"If this is true then we do indeed need to send our ships, how many will your Master send?" Asked Kali

"Four. Three Ha'tak-class motherships plus a ship better than any mothership ever constructed, more powerful than even Apophis' flagship."

"Indeed, no other ships are available for him then. You wished for him to be allowed back into the ranks of the System Lords and he only has four ships to spare?" Yu smirked

"He does not. He could send many more. If he so desired."

"So why does he not want to Osiris, is he keeping his ships to attack us while our ships are destroyed in fighting the Federation?"

"Because there is no need for more."

"Yet you ask for our help but claim you need send no more than four motherships. You have contradicted yourself Osiris, your master will have to do better and quickly," Ba'al replied

"So be it. Anubis will take the _Resolution_ for himself. Then you will all have to face his mercy for your cowardice."

Growling the angry Osiris stood from his throne and left through the main doors and headed for his cargo ship, the fools would see the true power of Anubis and the destruction of the _Resolution_ would make him unstoppable.

Within the council chambers the remaining System Lords stayed behind, each slightly in awe at the pure power of this newcomer ship. Camulus spoke up as the rest began to fully become aware at Osiris' and Anubis' fears around this unknown Federation ship and where it came from.

"We will all signal one ship each, they will journey out to the battle as it happens, we will see what this Federation ship truly is and if necessary destroy Anubis' ship if it is victorious."

"Agreed." The rest said.

-----

Osiris' Cargo Ship

Five Minutes Later

Osiris was still fuming at the behaviour of the System Lords. There refusal to accept reality and see the danger that the Federation ship posed to the very existence of the Goa'uld race was infuriating to say the least. For a few moments Osiris sat in the passenger seat silently cursing the cowardice of the System Lords, but then calmed down a little. Anubis would destroy the _Resolution _himself, then they would take revenge on the System Lords for their behaviour.

"Jaffa disengage from the station and set course for Anubis' homeworld," Osiris ordered.

"Yes my lord," the Jaffa replied and began carrying out his Gods command. Osiris manipulated the controls in front of him opening a secured subspace communication to Anubis' homeworld. After a moment a holographic screen materialised in front of her showing the face of one on Anubis' elite guard of Jaffa.

"Lord Osiris I regret that Lord Anubis has already boarded his ship and cannot take your report directly," the Jaffa replied eyes downcast in a partial bow, showing respect to the God he spoke to.

"I expected as much," Osiris replied. **"I have the System Lords response to Anubis request for assistance in destroying the _Resolution_. Relay it to Anubis."**

Osiris replied. 

"As you command my lord. What is the response from the System Lords that you wish me to relay?"

-----

Conference Room One

U.S.S Resolution

Ten Minutes Later

"Then we have an agreement," Thor said to Captain Parker. The negotiations for the plans for the energy dissipater weapon had gone remarkably smoothly. What Captain Parker wanted in return was quiet reasonable – and that was Asgard help in finding away to get his ship back to its proper universe and time. It would be a challenge to his peoples astrophysicists Thor knew but it was a reasonable price to pay for being given the plans for the weapon that could give the Asgard victory in the Replicator War – a war that they were currently losing. "In exchange for the plans for the energy dissipation weapons our scientists will work on finding away to return your ship to its proper universe and time," he continued.

"Yes Thor we have an agreement," Darien Parker replied with a warm smile. "I will have Lieutenant Wu transmit the plans for the energy dissipater to your ship along with all the information we have on the quantum fissure that brought us here."

"Very well then," Thor replied. "If we have no other business then I request that you return me to the _Valkastner_ immediately. It is imperative that I take the plans for the dissipater weapon to the High Council immediately."

"Of course Thor and I wish you the best of luck in your battle with the Replicators. If you do encounter any difficulties adapting the energy dissipation weapon to work with your technology then do not hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist you."

"That is most generous thank you Captain Parker."

"You are most welcome. Commander Urlet will take you back to the transporter room."

Thor stood up from his chair and Commander Urlet did the same. Thor bowed his head to Captain Parker – he was really coming to like the Federation captain just like he liked Colonel O'Neill. Then he turned and followed Commander Urlet out of the room.

Daniel Jackson watched Thor leave the room. He was glad to see the Asgard so happy – the acquiring of the energy dissipater weapons could be the single greatest acquisition that the Asgard had ever made. For it was an acquisition that could save them and the rest of the universe from the cancerous, mechanical terror of the Replicators.

"That went well," Darien commented. Daniel looked over at the Teal'c sized Starfleet captain.

"I expected it to," Daniel replied. "Though until now I didn't know how desperate the Asgard war with the Replicators had become. So far all their attempts to stop the Replicators have failed. But now you've given them access to a form of weapons technology that is as lethal to the Replicators as neutron bombs are to organic beings."

"The Asgard were really starting to become desperate?" Darien asked suddenly worried that the Asgard might not keep their word about having their scientists help his people find away home.

"I wouldn't exactly say completely desperate," Daniel replied. "But they were starting to get seriously worried. We were anyway by the very existence of that war, for if the Asgard go then so does the Protected Planets Treaty which protects Earth and a number of other planets from attack by the Goa'uld. If the Asgard were to be defeated by the Replicators and the System Lords learned of it then they wouldn't hesitate to attack and either annex or destroy us all. The strangle hold that the System Lords have on the galaxy would only strengthen."

"Will the Asgard keep their word about helping my people Daniel," Darien asked.

"Of course they will," Daniel replied. "When the Asgard make a promise to someone then they honour it no matter what it costs them. Thor has promised you his peoples help in finding away back to your own time and universe – the Asgard will honour that promise. And if anyone can help you get back to your home then the Asgard can they are after all a very ancient, wise and powerful race." Darien leaned back in his chair.

"I hope your right," he said softly.

"I know that I am," Daniel replied.

-----

A Few Moments Later

Daniel stood besides Darien's command chair on the _Resolution's_ bridge as the _Valkastner _prepared to leave orbit of Tollana.

"Captain all data transmissions between ourselves and the _Valkastner_ have been concluded," Lieutenant Wu reported from the operations console. "I have forwarded the information on the Asgard hyperspace technology to both Lieutenant Rakan and to engineering. The _Valkastner _is breaking orbit."

"Understood," Darien replied nodding, he could see the Asgard ship moving from the position it had been maintaining orbiting Tollana a few thousand kilometres ahead of them. Though it massed about the same as a Romulan D'Deridex-class warbird the Asgard ship moved with surprising ease and grace.

Darien noticed though that the _Valkastner_ did not immediately completely break orbit, instead it turned its nose to face the half-gutted wreck of the _Galishka_ which they had moved to a higher orbit where it would not be a hazard. The sensors bleeped at that moment and Darien guessed what was happening before Lieutenant Wu even spoke.

"Sir the _Valkastner_ is powering up her forward weapons arrays," Wu reported. "Their targeting the wreck of the _Galishka_."

"Understood," Commander Urlet said from her position before Darien could speak.

Everyone kept their eyes on the view screen waiting for the inevitable to happen. After a moment a brilliant blue pulse of energy shot out from the centre of the _Valkastner's_ forward section and hit the front portion of the wrecked ship. The entire forward section of the _Galishka_ began to glow as inter-atomic bonds broke down as the disintegration effect of the Asgard particle weapons began to take place. A second pulse flew from the _Valkastner_, then a third, both pulses also hitting the forward section brightening the glow until it enveloped the whole of the once proud _Galishka_. For a moment in time it remained completely illuminated like that then the lines and structures of the ship blurred and dissolved away. The glow began fading away, the _Galishka_ was gone vaporised so completely that only a cloud of dust remained to blow away silently on the stellar winds.

"Asgard weapons are powering down sir," Wu reported as the _Valkastner_ completely broke orbit, a hyperspace window opened in space ahead of them and with a flash from its engines the _Valkastner_ leapt forward and vanished from the system.

"It's over," Urlet said softly. "This meeting with the Asgard and the Replicators."

"Yes. Though something tells me we have not seen the last of the Asgard commander," Darien replied. "We will probably meet again."

"Oh that's a certainty," Daniel said. "But if you no longer need me I would like to go and catch up with Sarah Darien."

"Certainly Daniel go," Darien answered smiling knowingly. Daniel couldn't help but smile back before heading for the turbo lift off the bridge. Darien leaned back in his command chair, he did not think that they had seen the last of the Asgard. He was certain that they would meet again, when he didn't know but he knew that they would. That was something that he did not mind at all as he was constantly aware that despite her power the _Resolution_ was a very long way from home. He knew that without someone to support them, without friends to back them up then they were very vulnerable to attack by those who – like the Goa'uld – wanted to enslave them and steal there secrets. The Asgard struck Darien as a very good friend to have, a very good friend indeed.

-------

Authors Note: I would like to convey my personal thanks to Martin70 and Ash's Broomstick for all the help they have given me with this chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**USS Achilles**

**Federation Space**

Captain Steven White sat deep in thought in the ready room off the bridge of the Achilles-class attack cruiser as the ship barrelled through warp on course for an unusual region of space. Accompanied by one Defiant-class starship the _Valiant_ and two Akira-class starships the _Potemkin _and _Thunderchild_, this task force was loaded for bear as anything that could make a sovereign class starship 'disappear' could be a problem. He couldn't get the mission he had to do out of his head. The dangers that came with this mission were readily apparent to him, especially as the region of space they were heading to straddled the whole of the Romulan Neutral Zone, the subspace anomalies extended several light years into both the Romulan Empire and the Federation.

At any time going into a region of space that could potentially take you into the Neutral Zone was dangerous, the Romulans had been known to violently react to any ship entering it, and knew to expect the same in return if their ships violated that ancient buffer zone. But it was especially dangerous at this point in time, while the government of Praetor Tal'aura had given them permission to enter the Neutral Zone if necessary White knew it was no guarantee of safe passage. The recent Shinzon Incident had dangerously destabilised the Romulan Empire, with only the intervention of Romulan Empress Talketh herself keeping it from descending into outright civil war. Many factions were vying for power in the new senate – replacing the one murdered by Shinzon – and White would not put it past one of those factions, especially one of the more violent ones, to have a go at engaging his ships in battle.

The possibility of bumping into some rogue Romulan warbirds had turned this ordinary search and rescue mission into one that was going to be very dangerous indeed. White was determined to prepare for those possible dangers, as well as find out what had happened to the last ship sent to the area to investigate the strange subspace readings that had been driving long range sensors crazy. The mission should not have taken the Sovereign-class _Resolution_ very long to complete and she had been under orders to maintain regular contact with Starfleet Command, but a month had passed and there had not been a peep out of her and no attempts at communication were acknowledged. Even the Midas array – that had so successfully contacted _Voyager_ – had been unable to get in touch with the _Resolution_, or even trigger a response from her automated subspace transponder.

Concerned that something had happened to _Resolution_, Starfleet had ordered Steven to take his task force to the area and find out what had happened to the ship and her crew. Privately Steven knew a number of the admirals at Starfleet Command were worried that the _Resolution's_ untested captain had somehow led her to catastrophe. Steven personally knew that was not very likely, he had met Darien Parker on a few occasions during the last few mostly when he'd been Commander Parker of the _Challenger _during the war and knew him to be a very competent and gifted officer. If something bad had happened to the _Resolution_ then Steven knew it would not be Darien's doing.

The thought of what fate could have befallen the _Resolution_ was weighing heavily on Steven's mind, he could think of only two possibilities that could explain why she was overdue and why there had been no subspace transmissions from her. One that she had been attacked by rogue Romulan or Reman forces and been destroyed, which Steven personally believed was unlikely. The _Resolution_ had been bristling with the most up to date weapons and defences available to Starfleet including a full magazine of the futuristic transphasic torpedoes and a copy of the ablative armour generation system _Voyager _had brought back from the Delta Quadrant. Between those weapons and her conventional weapons load out of sixteen type thirteen phaser arrays and over five hundred photon and quantum torpedoes combined with her advanced dual level regenerative multiphasic, multispatial shields he knew the _Resolution _was one of the strongest starships ever fielded by the Federation. It would be next to impossible for the Romulans or Remans to engage and destroy her except with overwhelming numbers.

The second option for what could have happened was by far the most likely in Steven's opinion. And that was that the subspace distortions had either trapped the _Resolution_ somewhere, maybe inside a subspace sinkhole or had transported her somewhere else in the galaxy. Somewhere where she couldn't hail them from because she was out of range. Steven knew that possibility had occurred to Starfleet as well and Admiral Janeway had the Midas Array sweeping the distant sectors of the galaxy for any sign of her.

Like the other captains in the task force Steven hoped and prayed that the second option was what had happened to the _Resolution_ as he didn't want to think what the consequences would be if she'd been destroyed by the Romulans. The Federation Council would not take that very well at all, especially if it had occurred on their side of the Neutral Zone. It could well lead to a new war with the Romulan Empire, a state of affairs that neither side particularly wanted, especially so soon after the ravages of the Dominion War.

The sudden sound of the intercom coming to life jolted Steven out of thoughts which had been starting to get increasingly dark.

"Bridge to captain," the voice of his first officer Commander Sanock said. "We're approaching the _Resolution's _last known co-ordinates."

"Very well drop to impulse and deploy the task force into standard search and recon formation," Steven ordered. "I'll be right out."

"Aye, sir."

Steven sighed and stood up before coming around his desk and heading out of his Spartan ready room, like everything else on the _Achilles_ it was optimised more for combat performance than anything else, as such it lacked some of the nicer comfort of other ships. _Here we go,_ he thought as he stepped out onto the compact bridge of his ship, a bridge designed more along the lines of the wedge shape of a Defiant-class than the traditional circle. As he made his way to the command chair he looked at the view screen at the space they were approaching.

It was certainly beautiful to look at. Space ahead was alight with strange glowing vortices and shimmering bands of energy and super energised gasses pulled in from the surrounding space by the gravitational influence of the glowing energy fissures at the centre of each vortex. The whole thing rippled as well with gravitational fluctuations given the region the appearance of being viewed through a sheet of running water.

"Status report," he ordered sitting down.

"The fleet has secured from warp sir and are deploying into formation as we speak," Sanock reported with typical Vulcan calm from the science station. As well as being first officer Sanock was the closest thing to a science officer that the _Achilles_ had. "Forward scanners are trained on the phenomenon ahead of us and have commenced searching for any sign of the _Resolution_. However we are encountering severe gravimagnetic interference from the subspace anomalies."

"Launch probes," Steven ordered. "Program them to look for any sign of the _Resolution_, debris, impulse ion trails anything."

"Aye, sir. According to my analysis it will take us several hours to survey the area with the probes."

"Then we better get started," Steven said. "I don't want to take our ships in until we have some idea what we're going to find in there."

"Understood sir."

Steven turned his attention to the view screen again as three probes left the _Achilles_ and streaked towards the beautiful and mysterious region ahead of them. _Where are you Darien,_ he thought, _are you and your ship trapped in there somehow? Wherever you are don't worry, we are coming._

**

* * *

USS Resolution**

**Orbiting Tollana, That Same Time**

Lieutenant Peter Buchannan carefully eased the modified runabout out of the _Resolution's_ main shuttle bay into open space. With the information on hyperspace technology provided by the Asgard Lieutenant Barrett and her engineers along with Lieutenant Rakan had modified the warp coils and deflector array on the Yellowstone-class runabout to allow it to travel through hyperspace. They wanted to test bed the technology and principles involved before applying them to the _Resolution_ herself.

Peter understood the caution and knew how much was riding on the shoulders of himself and his two crewmates on the runabout _Rapier_. Though they trusted the Asgard, they were still cautious about the hyperspace technology as it was a branch of subspace physics that was very new to them. Peter knew that the outcome of this test flight to the Tok'ra base on the planet Ravana would determine if they would embrace this new form of FTL propulsion over their existing warp technology.

"Tark what's the status of the modifications to the engines and deflector array," he asked the Yuridian engineer who had helped refit the _Rapier_ for hyperspace.

"Hyperdrive modifications are online and diagnostics confirm they are functioning within anticipated parameters," Tark replied. "We're as ready as we will ever be."

"Shirr what's our weapons status," Peter asked looking at the Xindi Reptilian tactical officer on the opposite side of the control cabin to Tark. Given the fact that long range astrometric scans confirmed Goa'uld motherships prowling around planets in various surrounding sectors Peter wanted to be ready should they have a run in with the parasitic aliens.

"Phasers are fully functional," Shirr reported. "Micro quantum torpedo bank is loaded and ready to fire, shields are operational as our ablative armour generators. If we end up having to fight the Goa'uld we should be able to hold them off long enough to be able to get away."

"Good," he said. "Okay then lets do this. Shirr open a hailing frequency to the _Resolution_."

"Aye, sir." For a moment nothing happened then one of the screens next to Peter came to life with the face of Commander Urlet on the _Resolution's_ bridge.

"Yes, lieutenant?" Commander Urlet said.

"Commander, we're ready to begin our hyperdrive test flight," Peter replied.

"Understood, good luck out there," Urlet answered. "And be careful, the last thing we want is for you to be captured by the Goa'uld. At the first sign of trouble contact us and return immediately."

"Aye, sir. We'll do that." Urlet smiled slightly and nodded, a moment before disappearing from the screen as the connection to the _Resolution's_ bridge was broken. _Okay let's do this, _Peter thought bringing the hyperdrive online in place of the normal warp engines and laying in a course for Ravana. Taking a deep breath, and offering a silent prayer, Peter pressed the control to send them into hyperspace.

For a moment nothing happened, then a steadily up-scaling whine sounded through the runabout as the hyperdrive powered up. The runabouts deflector array glowed brightly, almost matching the brilliant whitish blue plasma glow coming from the engine nacelles. In the space ahead of the runabout a hyperspace window burst into existence, the nacelles flashed brightly just as they would for acceleration into warp speed and the runabout seemed to stretch taught then vanished into the hyperspace window with a blur of optical distortion.

* * *

The jump to hyperspace did not go unnoticed. A small black ship sitting in polar orbit of a neighbouring planet, where the electromagnetic interference would blind Federation and Tollan sensors, observed the runabout vanish into hyperspace. On the small command deck of the ship a young human woman turned to look at her commanding officer.

"Sensors have reported that the small Federation vessel has already left our optimum sensor range," she reported. "Its hyperspace acceleration is phenomenal, it's travelling at a speed far greater than anything we have seen achieved by Goa'uld ships of similar size."

"Impressive lieutenant," the commander replied. "Can you make out there destination?"

"Projections indicate that they are heading for the Tok'ra base on Ravana, sir."

"Interesting, I wonder why they are going there. Communications?"

"Sir?"

"Can we send a subspace message to command without the Federation ship detecting it?"

"I believe so sir. Given our lack of knowledge on Federation technology I cannot guarantee it. I believe the best bet would be to send a burst transmission to avoid a prolonged signal that they could detect and trace."

The commander nodded, it would be the best way. The last thing they wanted or needed was for the _Resolution_ to detect there presence, it would raise too many questions. Questions that they were not prepared to answer yet. Even sending a burst transmission would be risky, but it was a risk they needed to take as command had ordered them to keep tabs on what exactly the powerful Federation warship was up to.

"Do it encode all observed information so far into the data burst," he ordered at last. "But wait until the _Resolution's_ orbit takes her to the other side of Tollana that will further reduce our risks of detection."

"Aye, sir."

**

* * *

Runabout Rapier**

**A Few Minutes Later**

Peter Buchannan felt like whooping for joy as the _Rapier_ shot down a luminous blue tunnel through hyperspace at incredible, unheard of speed for a runabout, indeed for any Federation vessel. This hyperspace technology was something else, incredibly fast, incredibly smooth, far superior in his opinion to any other means of advanced FTL propulsion that the Federation had yet experimented with. He restrained himself, but only just, instead he focused on his duty.

"How's it looking Tark," he asked.

"Hyperdrive is holding steady," Tark replied. "All systems are normal. There is a minute increase in stress on the hull, our hull geometry was never intended to cope with a subspace field being used in this way, but it's well within acceptable tolerances."

"Still it's something we should bear in mind until we return to the ship," Peter said. "Maybe Lieutenant Barrett and Lieutenant Rakan can do something to rectify the problem. Increase power to the SIF to compensate. Do you think the stress would get worse if this technology were applied to the _Resolution_?"

"I believe so yes. It seems to be directly proportional to the strength of the subspace field, however I don't believe that it would produce any significant increase in strain on the _Resolution's_ outer hull, certainly it wouldn't be strong enough to pose a threat to structural integrity. But your right we should still note it for investigation."

"It would make sense to do that," Shirr added. "I wonder why the Asgard never told us that the subspace field put out by a hyperdrive puts slightly more stress on a starships hull?"

"It probably never occurred to them," Peter reasoned. "Like everyone else around here they've had hyperspace technology for a very long time, they probably rectified the problem long ago and forgot about it. Its like we would probably forget to mention the sharp acceleration and deceleration forces that warp speed puts on a starships hull if we were teaching them how to build a warp drive."

"Possibly," Shirr replied not sounding entirely convinced. Before she could say anything else however the sensors on Peter's navigational panel bleeped for attention.

"We're coming up on Ravana," he said operating the controls.

With a soft humming sound the hyperdrive disengaged and the hyperspace tunnel dissolved into nothingness, depositing the runabout back into normal space. Ahead of them was the blue-green M-class planet where the Tok'ra had set up there latest base, replacing the one destroyed with Vorash, when they and SG-1 had blown up the sun to wipe out one of the largest Goa'uld fleets ever assembled.

"Shirr hail the _Resolution,_" Peter said. "Let Captain Parker know that we have reached Ravana safely."

"Aye, sir," Shirr replied a moment before her sensors bleeped for attention. Turning her attention to them she recoiled at what she saw. "Ugh Peter we got company. Check your sensors."

Frowning Peter did so and went pale at what he saw. A hyperspace window had just opened four light minutes out from their position, emerging from it came three Goa'uld motherships. Two of them being the standard Ha'tak-class with the central mothership belong to the larger but otherwise identical Shalkra-class. All three were giving off similar sensor readings to the first Goa'uld ship the _Resolution_ had encountered over Tollana, and were bearing down on Ravana. Even without being told Peter knew that they would be in the sights of the primitive Goa'uld phase modulated energy weapons.

"Oh hell," he said softly, then his training kicked in. "Red alert, raise shields and stand by weapons. Shirr be ready to keep them busy while I plot a course to get us out of here."

"Aye, sir," Shirr replied. "Tark I'm going to need all the power you can give me."

"You got it," Tark answered a moment before the communications system crackled to life with a message from the Goa'uld ships.

"**Federation vessel I am the great god Zipacna,"** a booming, distorted voice said over an audio only link. "**From now on you will serve me. Surrender your vessel and I shall be merciful, attempt to fight or flee and you will face my wrath."**


End file.
